Raindrop Geomagic helps shuttle return to flight

Raindrop Geomagic software plays critical role in shuttle's return to flight

Geomagic Studio, Raindrop Geomagic's reverse-engineering software, is playing a critical role in returning NASA's space shuttle to flight.

Geomagic Studio will be used to reduce risk and increase safety for the shuttle mission.

As the shuttle nears the space station, it will roll over to expose its underside.

Video surveys and detailed 3D scanning inspections using a 50-foot-long extension of the Discovery's robot arm will be conducted to determine damage to the tiles underneath the wings.

Scan data will be transmitted to Houston, where Geomagic Studio will be used to process the data and create a 3D model of the damaged tiles.

The 3D model will provide the data to create tool paths for cutting facsimiles of potentially dangerous damage into an array of test tiles.

The reproductions of the damaged tiles will be tested in NASA's ArcJet facility to see if they can withstand the heat and stress of reentry.

If tile damage is considered too extensive for safe reentry and return to Earth, the situation could call for a spacewalk by astronauts to make repairs.

In this case, the test tiles will be used to develop the step-by-step repair process that would be used during the spacewalk.

Raindrop Geomagic engineers have been placed on call in case their technical assistance is needed during the flight.

"We feel privileged that NASA has selected Geomagic Studio software for this critical role," says Rob Black, Raindrop Geomagic's account executive for the project.

"It is a major validation of our software's high level of automation, speed, reliability and accuracy.".

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