Siemens design software is used to develop the largest commercial spacecraft.

Siemens Digital Industries Software announced today that Australian space on-orbit maintenance and logistics startup Space Machine Company (SMC) has selected the Siemens Xcelerator industrial software portfolio to design and build the Optimus orbital service vehicle.

The Optimus orbital service vehicle, under development at the Tech Lab at the University of Technology Sydney in Australia, is one of the largest commercial spacecraft designed, manufactured and assembled in Australia.

Optimus, weighing 270 kg, will be launched aboard the U.S. SpaceX rocket. After launch, it will transport commercial satellites to Earth and other orbital paths, and provide roadside assistance to satellites in orbit. Optimus' primary purpose is to inspect, maintain, repair, and extend the life of other satellites in orbit.

SMC is saving costs and time and improving team productivity using NX™ software for design and modeling, Simcenter™ software for thermo-mechanical component simulation and analysis, and Teamcenter® X software-as-a-service (SaaS) for cloud-based Product Lifecycle Management (PLM).

“On-orbit maintenance and logistics is the new frontier of space innovation,” said Rajat Kulshrestha, CEO of Space Machine. “Many critical aspects of our daily lives, including banking, weather forecasting and global communications, depend on satellites’ ability to deliver services. There are over 7,000 active satellites in orbit around the Earth. These existing satellites, as well as the new ones coming into orbit, require a sustainable and secure operating environment. We provide our customers with rapid, cost-effective on-orbit maintenance and security solutions.”

He added, “To achieve our goals, we needed the right software that could respond and scale in a rapidly changing environment. Siemens software played a key role in reducing design and development iterations without compromising design goals. This allowed us to create a single, integrated digital environment and rapidly prototype from the digital twin, helping us understand how Optimus would perform in unpredictable conditions once it was in orbit.”

SMC's hardware and software go through design, manufacturing and rigorous testing stages, which require a powerful PLM system. Teamcenter X supports the entire process from rapid design changes, running simulations and verification, through manufacturing and final assembly, through Siemens’ comprehensive digital twin.

Samantha Murray, Vice President, Australia and New Zealand, Siemens Digital Industries Software, said: “The space industry is one of the most innovative in Australia today. Our software is helping organisations of all sizes innovate and develop solutions that are integral to our everyday lives. We are proud that Space Machines is working with Siemens software to push the boundaries of space logistics and to be at the forefront of Australia’s space industry. As the space industry expands and becomes a robust ecosystem, software is a key enabler to level the playing field for all.”

Meanwhile, you can learn more about how the Siemens Xcelerator platform is being used in the emerging space industry here. Leading space companies such as Australia’s leading space technology company Hypersonics, Gilmour Space Technologies, Sierra Space and Space Perspectives are using Siemens Xcelerator.