Abstract: A brief introduction of a virtual reality simulation system for manned maneuvering unit (MMU) is presented, MMU’s dynamics/kinematics module and thruster system module are formulated. Astronaut’s multi-body model is established according to characteristics of spacewalking. With the using of FOB (flock of bird: a motion tracking system), the system records operator’s limbs motion, maps the record information to astronaut’s limbs motion and introduces it to the computation of dynamics/kinematics model. Thus, actual astronaut spacewalking can be simulated more vividly in this system. The entire system is created with a distributed framework for the purpose of MMU control system's fast design and simulation. The design and simulation of control system are finished in the environment of MATLAB/Simulink with the control system isolated from other modules of the MMU virtual prototype system. The co-simulation between control module and the service program of MMU is accomplished making use of network technologies.

Key words: Distributed simulation, Manned maneuvering unit, Motion tracking, Virtual reality