VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING OF HELICOPTER-TYPE SPACECRAFT RADAR LANDING FOR UNDERSTANDING WHEN COSMONAUTS MAY TAKE A DECISION TO LAND A LUNAR MODULE MANUALLY

The paper presents a computer toolset to simulate situations in which a cosmonaut has to decide on whether to choose an automated or vision assisted manual landing. A computer experiment was designed to reproduce lunar landscapes observed by cosmonauts from the landing module. Methodology of the virtual prototyping of landing on to the Moon was formulated in terms of visual environment mapping to the information need of cosmonauts. The mission critical point of decision-making on how to control landing was specified. Analysis of vertical takeoff and landing of both piloted and automatic space vehicles made possible description of navigation in low visibility, and substantiation of the use of 2D/3D synthetic vision systems in simulation of manual landing a helicopter-type vehicle in low visibility.