Everything Science Forum

Thanks to a recently launched NASA software system, more efficient space mission planning soon could be a reality. Developed by a team of engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., the new system was created to support the NASA design teams charged with engineering the spacecraft of tomorrow – advanced vehicles to realize the Vision for Space Exploration. The vision plans for the return to the moon, human missions to Mars and exploration of the rest of the solar system.

The suite of design tools is called PARSEC, short for the Preliminary Analysis of Revolutionary Space Exploration Concepts. It enables engineers to share design ideas, access the same highly technical information and see the latest test results -- all from their desktop computers.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2006/06-068.html

PARSEC website - http://parsec.msfc.nasa.gov/