NASA Releases Free Software for People

NASA has released its 2017-2018 software catalog totally free of cost. The package includes thousands of newly developed software; which NASA uses for its daily computing needs for processes like image analysis, design and integration, propulsion, aeronautic simulations and what not.

Alongside software, package bundles numerous apps and code libraries which you will find interesting if launching a spacecraft is one of your fantasies. The first such catalog was published in April 2014. Since then, every year NASA shares its innovations in computing and analysis in form of software.

The catalogue includes the code LEWICE, developed to help study the effects of ice on an aircraft in flight and to create ice detection systems.

LEWICE (LEWis ICE accretion program) is a software used by literally hundreds of users in the aeronautics community for predicting ice shapes, collections efficiencies, and anti-icing heat requirements.

LEWICE performs its analysis in minutes on a desktop PC, allowing the user to run several parameter studies for design purposes. The ice shape predictions have been used to assess performance degradation both as an input to a CFD program or experimentally in flight or in a wind tunnel.