Tool for Sharing and Assessing Models of Fusion-Based Space Transportation Systems
Scott Carpenter, James Cannady · 40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit · 2004
Computer models of complex systems are generally unknown to those not closely related to their development. The intricacies of complex models make them hard to understand and to modify. This paper describes three paradigm shifts enabled by modern technology that may eliminate the opacity issues in models of complex systems. The three paradigm shifts are (1) computer modeling of increasingly complex interdisciplinary problems, (2) top-down learning, and (3) emergence of a worldwide cyber workforce; each to be explained in detail. A tool for modeling a complex system (a nuclear-fusion-based space transportation system) is described that implements simple, available, and inexpensive computing technology to take advantage of the three emerging paradigm shifts in computing. This new tool is a system (methodology, hardware, and commercial application software) for modeling complex systems and provides a transparent look into models of complex systems for knowledge sharing, learning, discovery, and persistence among interdisciplinary users.