A Modeling And Simulation Environment For Space Ranges

This paper describes the Virtual Range project, the goal of which is to determine the population at risk and the expected casualties as a result of toxic gas dispersion when faced with disaster within 120 seconds of an orbiter\u27s liftoff. A user interface provides numerical and graphical summaries of potential outcomes, with user-defined preferences for the display of units of measure, geographic locations, and time values. The system will help local authorities to estimate the population at risk in order to plan for areas to evacuate, and/or for the resources required to provide aid and comfort and to mitigate damages in case of a disaster