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A Review of 10 Years of ProtoSpace: Spacecraft CAD Visualization in Collaborative Augmented Reality

Benjamin Nuernberger, Samuel-Hunter Berndt, Robert Tapella, Laura Mann, Aaron Plave, Sasha Samochina, Victor X. Luo

TL;DR

ProtoSpace addresses the challenge of communicating complex 3D spacecraft geometry during design and assembly by enabling collaborative stereoscopic AR visualization of CAD data. The paper details the system architecture, including a backend CAD pipeline, HoloLens and web clients, and a Three.js-based web renderer, optimized for large assemblies and multi-user sessions. It documents three production use cases—designing spacecraft, integration and test/ATLO, and presentations—along with case studies from Mars 2020, Europa Clipper, NISAR, CGI, SPHEREx, and SRL, each with end-user quotes. Lessons learned highlight the superiority of AR over VR for maintaining physical context, pilot cost savings (e.g., multi-mission estimates and Europa Clipper savings), and a strategy for future headset ports and tighter CAD integration. ProtoSpace's decade-long operational success demonstrates the value of immersive, collaborative, geometry-aware visualization for complex aerospace programs.

Abstract

ProtoSpace is a custom JPL-built platform to help scientists and engineers visualize their CAD models collaboratively in augmented reality (AR) and on the web in 3D. In addition to this main use case, ProtoSpace has been used throughout the entire spacecraft mission lifecycle and beyond: ventilator design and assembly; providing AR-based instructions to astronauts in-training; educating the next generation on the process of spacecraft design; etc. ProtoSpace has been used for a decade by NASA missions-including Mars Perseverance, Europa Clipper, NISAR, SPHEREx, CAL, and Mars Sample Return-to reduce cost and risk by helping engineers and scientists fix problems earlier through reducing miscommunication and helping people understand the spatial context of their spacecraft in the appropriate physical context more quickly. This paper will explore how ProtoSpace came to be, define the system architecture and overview-including HoloLens and 3D web clients, the ProtoSpace server, and the CAD model optimizer-and dive into the use cases, spin-offs, and lessons learned that led to 10 years of success at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

A Review of 10 Years of ProtoSpace: Spacecraft CAD Visualization in Collaborative Augmented Reality

TL;DR

ProtoSpace addresses the challenge of communicating complex 3D spacecraft geometry during design and assembly by enabling collaborative stereoscopic AR visualization of CAD data. The paper details the system architecture, including a backend CAD pipeline, HoloLens and web clients, and a Three.js-based web renderer, optimized for large assemblies and multi-user sessions. It documents three production use cases—designing spacecraft, integration and test/ATLO, and presentations—along with case studies from Mars 2020, Europa Clipper, NISAR, CGI, SPHEREx, and SRL, each with end-user quotes. Lessons learned highlight the superiority of AR over VR for maintaining physical context, pilot cost savings (e.g., multi-mission estimates and Europa Clipper savings), and a strategy for future headset ports and tighter CAD integration. ProtoSpace's decade-long operational success demonstrates the value of immersive, collaborative, geometry-aware visualization for complex aerospace programs.

Abstract

ProtoSpace is a custom JPL-built platform to help scientists and engineers visualize their CAD models collaboratively in augmented reality (AR) and on the web in 3D. In addition to this main use case, ProtoSpace has been used throughout the entire spacecraft mission lifecycle and beyond: ventilator design and assembly; providing AR-based instructions to astronauts in-training; educating the next generation on the process of spacecraft design; etc. ProtoSpace has been used for a decade by NASA missions-including Mars Perseverance, Europa Clipper, NISAR, SPHEREx, CAL, and Mars Sample Return-to reduce cost and risk by helping engineers and scientists fix problems earlier through reducing miscommunication and helping people understand the spatial context of their spacecraft in the appropriate physical context more quickly. This paper will explore how ProtoSpace came to be, define the system architecture and overview-including HoloLens and 3D web clients, the ProtoSpace server, and the CAD model optimizer-and dive into the use cases, spin-offs, and lessons learned that led to 10 years of success at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 47 sections, 28 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Related Work
  3. XR CAD Viewing
  4. XR for Space Applications
  5. The Genesis of ProtoSpace
  6. Summary Overview
  7. Platform Overview
  8. Throughout the Mission Lifecycle
  9. Three Main Use Cases
  10. Designing Spacecraft
  11. Integration & Test, and Assembly Launch and Test Operations
  12. Presentations
  13. System Details
  14. Web Server Backend
  15. HoloLens Client
  16. ...and 32 more sections

Figures (28)

  • Figure 1: ProtoSpace has been used throughout the full mission lifecycle at JPL.
  • Figure 2: Europa Clipper pappalardo2024science Harness Preliminary Design Review (PDR), where participants utilized ProtoSpace on the HoloLens.
  • Figure 3: ProtoSpace was used for planning how NISAR kellogg2020nasa would be tested inside the 25ft Thermal Vacuum Chamber (TVAC) at JPL. This included ensuring that all cabling would be accessible.
  • Figure 4: Roman Space Telescope Preliminary Design Review (PDR)
  • Figure 5: VIP Visitors in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility with a virtual NISAR spacecraft
  • ...and 23 more figures