 | |
| Other names | Open Vehicle Sketch Pad |
|---|---|
| Original author(s) | J.R. Gloudemans |
| Developer(s) | Rob McDonald and3rd party contributors |
| Initial release | January 10, 2012; 13 years ago (2012-01-10) |
| Stable release | 3.41.2 / December 3, 2024 (2024-12-03) |
| Repository | OpenVSP onGitHub |
| Written in | C++ |
| Operating system | Windows,macOS,Linux |
| Platform | x86-64,ARM64 |
| Predecessor | Vehicle Sketch Pad |
| Available in | English |
| Type | Computer-aided design,CFD,FEA |
| License | NASAOpen source Agreement |
| Website | openvsp.org/ |
OpenVSP (alsoOpen Vehicle Sketch Pad) — is an open-source parametric aircraft geometry tool originally developed byNASA. It can be used to create 3D models ofaircraft and to support engineering analysis of those models.
Predecessors to OpenVSP including VSP[1] and Rapid Aircraft Modeler (RAM) were developed by J.R. Gloudemans and others[2] for NASA beginning in the early 1990s.[3] OpenVSP v2.0 was released as open source under theNOSA license in January 2012. Development has been led by Rob McDonald since around 2012 and has been supported byNASA andAFRL among other contributions.
OpenVSP allows the user to quickly generate computer models from ideas, which can then be analyzed. As such, it is especially powerful in generating and evaluating unconventional design concepts.[4]
OpenVSP displays agraphical user interface upon launch, built withFLTK. A workspace window and a "Geometry Browser" window open. The workspace is where the model is displayed while the Geometry Browser lists individual components in the workspace, such as fuselage and wings. These components can be selected, added or deleted, somewhat like a feature tree inCAD software such asSolidworks. When a component is selected in the Geometry Browser window, a component geometry window opens. This window is used to modify the component.
OpenVSP also providesAPI capabilities which may be accessed usingMatlab,Python orAngelScript.[5]
OpenVSP offers a multitude of basic geometries, common to aircraft modelling, which users modify and assemble to create models.Wing,pod,fuselage, andpropeller are a few available geometries. Advanced components likebody of revolution,duct,conformal geometry and such are also available.
Besides the geometry modeler, OpenVSP contains multiple tools that help with aerodynamic or structural analysis of models. The tools available are:
OpenVSP permits import of multiple geometry formats likeSTL, CART3D (.tri) andPLOT3D.Point clouds may also be imported and used to fit a parametric surface.
Geometry created in OpenVSP may be exported asSTL, CART3D (.tri),PLOT3D,STEP andIGES,OBJ,SVG,DXF andX3D file formats. These file formats allow geometries to be used for mesh generation and inCFD orFEA software.
OpenVSP Hangar (alsoVSP Hangar) provides users a place to upload models and promotes sharing of geometry created in OpenVSP. Each model is allowed revisions with accompanying details on source quality.[6]
Since end of 2023, OpenVSP Hangar has been closed and no backup downloads has been provided.
On 22 August 2024,OpenVSP Airshow (alsoVSP Airshow),[7] a successor to OpenVSP Hangar, has been launched.[8]
All of the v3 models on the Hangar have been ported over to the Airshow.
— The OpenVSP Team, OpenVSP Airshow is Live!,openvsp.org /blogs /announcements /2024 /08 /22 /openvsp-airshow-is-live
OpenVSP Workshop — is an offline event where developers and users meet to discuss progress and use of OpenVSP. The Workshop has been held annually since 2012 (except 2018). The 2020 and 2021 Workshops were held online due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. The 2024 Workshop was held at theMuseum of Flight inSeattle.[9]
Papers, slides and other workshops materials published on OpenVSP wiki site in a few days after workshops ends.[10]
OpenVSP Ground School is a set of comprehensive tutorials under development by Brandon Litherland at NASA. Ground school tutorials provide details on OpenVSP features and techniques, along with tutorials for beginner and advanced users, and are hosted on theLangley Research Center website.[11]
