Adding world models based on real data & making Gazebo Plugins for realistic environment simulations

[jasmeet0915]

Feature description

Models based on Actual data available from the Imaging Node of NASA PDS (Planteray Data System):

It would be beneficial to add models to the repo based on the real elevation data captured by the various orbiters deployed by NASA over the years like the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), etc. For example, the elevation data of Mars is available through the images captured by HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) on board the MRO and similarly the elevation data of the lunar surface is available through the images captured by LOLA (Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter) on board the LRO.

Gazebo World Plugins for more realistic environmental simulations:

Different celestial bodies offer different environmental conditions and rovers or other deployed robotic systems need to prepare their algorithms in such a way that they can be robust towards such changes. For example, the vision-based algorithms used on a rover deployed on Mars should prepare for noisy RGB and depth image data in case of dust storms or should prepare for changing lighting conditions and artifacts like lens flare they cause in the camera images due to the planetary motion around a central star. Therefore, it would be beneficial to add plugins that:

Implementation Considerations

Terrain models based on NASA PDS Imaging Node Data

This data is collectively a part of the imaging node of the NASA PDS (Planetary Data System) and can be used to create digital twins of actual locations on celestial bodies in the form of Gazebo SDF Terrain Models which would help simulate future missions on actual prospect landing sites.

Gazebo World Plugins for more realistic environmental simulations:

• Simulate weather conditions using Particle Emitters and affect the sensors like RGB Camera, Depth Camera, LIDARS, etc. realistically
• Simulate planet motion which leads to changing lighting conditions in the simulated world. It would also be helpful to include plugins in the camera sensor which adds artifacts like Lens Flares in the camera images.