Information

Submission Deadline: June 20, 2026
Notification Date: TBA

Session Chair

Davide Ferretto, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy
Jasmine Rimani, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy
Giacomo Luccisano, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy

Goals of the Session

As Modern aerospace systems are growing in complexity at an unprecedented pace. Developing, testing, validating, and operating such systems require simulation capabilities that go far beyond what a single simulator or facility can provide. Distributed simulation has therefore become a key enabling technology across the entire aerospace spectrum, allowing geographically dispersed models, simulators, and hardware-in-the-loop components to be federated into coherent, large- scale synthetic environments. The Special Session on Distributed Simulation in the Aerospace Domain aims to bring together researchers, engineers, and practitioners from around the globe to explore the challenges, advancements, and applications of distributed simulation across this broad domain. Main goals are:

• Foster Collaboration: Encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange among experts in distributed simulation and aerospace engineering - encompassing conventional aviation and related innovative architectures, hypersonic and supersonic flight concepts, access-to- space systems, as well as orbital and deep-space operations - to address shared challenges and build cross-domain solutions.
• Discuss Cutting-edge Technologies: Provide a platform for researchers and industry professionals to present and discuss the latest advancements in distributed simulation techniques tailored to aerospace systems, from atmospheric flight dynamics to on-orbit rendezvous and proximity operations.
• Explore Interdisciplinary Approaches: Facilitate discussions on the intersection of distributed simulation, real-time applications, and aerospace domain expertise, promoting interdisciplinary approaches that span across aeronautics, propulsion, guidance and control, systems engineering, and mission operations.
• Address Challenges in Aerospace Simulation: Identify and analyze the unique challenges in simulating aerospace systems and missions, such as multi-domain environment modeling spanning the full flight envelope (troposphere, stratosphere, near- space, cislunar, and beyond), hardware-in-the-loop integration, communication latency, interoperability (also based on open standards such as HLA, SISO SpaceFOM, SISO RPR FOM, SMP), and high-fidelity modeling of aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, and space environments.
• Share Case Studies: Showcase successful case studies and practical applications of distributed simulation in the aerospace domain, with reference to ongoing programs such as sustainable aviation concepts, next-generation high-speed demonstrators, commercial launch vehicles, reusable re-entry systems, and space exploration programs (such as Artemis, …), highlighting lessons learned and best practices.
• Enhance Training and Education: Discuss the role of distributed simulation in training pilots, flight test engineers, astronauts, ground control personnel, and mission operators, emphasizing the importance of realistic, high-fidelity, and immersive synthetic environments across the full range of aerospace operations.
• Promote Standardization: Explore the need for and progress towards standardization in distributed simulation for aerospace applications, to improve interoperability across heterogeneous simulation assets and facilitate the development of reusable, composable simulation components - from aeronautical test benches to multi-domain space mission simulators.

Researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts in the fields of distributed simulation and aerospace engineering are invited to submit original research papers, case studies, and proposals addressing the intersection of these domains. Join us in advancing the state of the art in distributed simulation across the aerospace sector!


Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Innovative distributed simulation architectures for space missions.
• Real-time communication and synchronization challenges in space simulation.
• Modeling and simulation of space environments and celestial bodies.
• Integration of distributed simulation with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for space applications.
• Simulation-based training for space missions.
• Interoperability standards and protocols for distributed space simulation (such as HLA, SISO SpaceFOM, SISO RPR FOM, SMP)
• Case studies of successful applications of distributed simulation in the space domain.