Description
Mission Design Simulator (MDS), from Blackswan Space, is a computationally accurate, photorealistic simulator for space missions. It gives satellite integrators and operators a single virtual environment to prototype and test an entire mission in real time, rather than stitching together several industry-standard tools, which Blackswan says cuts errors, development time, and cost.
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For mission analysis, MDS combines multi-body dynamics with orbital mechanics, runs simulations in real time with adjustable time scale, and uses the Tudat space-dynamics library for orbit propagation; changing scenario parameters updates results immediately. Its space robotics and navigation tools run guidance and navigation algorithms in real time, simulate GNC scenarios with modular instruments, and support rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking. Software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop simulation are available through a language-agnostic API, and MDS integrates with MATLAB and Simulink, so users can run MATLAB scripts, plot with MATLAB's tools, and visualize Simulink models inside the 3D environment.
MDS also generates synthetic image datasets with associated labels for model training, with scenario parameters adjustable through the interface. True-to-scale celestial bodies, dynamic lighting, modeled optics such as field of view and camera distortion, and ray tracing aim for optical accuracy, and MDS supports training and testing vision-based autonomous systems for space operations, including running real-time inference on already-trained models. A 3D model importer/exporter, JSON scenario configuration files, and mission-ephemerides export round out integration into existing development and testing pipelines.
MDS is built for space-mission designers, satellite operators and integrators, and researchers. Blackswan Space offers a free trial download, a downloadable MDS brochure, and a discounted licensing offer for startups and universities that request it directly; the full product can also be purchased outright. Documentation for the simulator is published separately as MDS Documentation. It is a separate product from Blackswan's RPO Kit, the company's physical spacecraft payload for autonomous rendezvous maneuvers, though both fall under Blackswan Space's broader mission of making satellites autonomous for integrators and operators.
- CategoryRobotics & AI Hardware
- Pricing ModelFreemium
- DeploymentOnboard Hardware/Software
- PlatformsWeb
Mission Design Simulator (MDS)'s Core Features
Photorealistic, computationally accurate space-mission simulation
Real-time multi-body dynamics and orbital mechanics
Orbit propagation via the Tudat space-dynamics library
Rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking scenario simulation
SITL/HITL simulation through a language-agnostic API
MATLAB and Simulink integration with 3D visualization
Synthetic image dataset generation with labels for model training
Computer-vision and autonomy model training and real-time inference testing
Ray-traced lighting and true-scale celestial bodies for optical realism
How to use Mission Design Simulator (MDS)?
Download the free trial: get MDS from Blackswan Space to test its simulation environment.
Set up a scenario: configure orbits, instruments, and robotics through JSON configuration files.
Run the simulation: use multi-body dynamics and orbit propagation to test the mission in real time.
Generate training data: create synthetic image sets and labels for computer-vision models.
Integrate with existing tools: connect MATLAB/Simulink or use the API for SITL/HITL pipelines.
Purchase or request a license: buy MDS directly, or apply for the startup/university offer.
Mission Design Simulator (MDS)'s Use Cases
- Mission prototyping
- RPO and docking simulation
- Vision model training
- GNC algorithm testing
