Open Source Aero

Name	License	Non-free Dependency	Description
3-view	public domain		Perspective views of an arbitrary configuration defined by wireframe meshes of gridpoints with hidden line removal. Written by David Hedgley of NASA Dryden. A very simple program called 3view is also included that produces plan, side, and rear views from the same input file. / HLP
Ablation Dynamics	public domain		Analyze the transient response of an ablating axisymmetric body, including the effect of shape change. / ABAXI
Ablative Nozzle Materials	public domain		Predict the ablation performance of rocket nozzle heat protection materials. (work-in-progress) / ABLATE
Aeroelastic Analysis	public domain		Estimate the planform and aeroelastic effect on stability derivatives and induced drag. (work-in-progress) / ELASTIC
Aircraft roll-out iterative energy simulation program	public domain		Analyze brake performance during landing rollout. It incorporates actual flight data from telemetry. Developed for the Space Shuttle vehicle. (work-in-progress) / ARIES
Analysis of Aircraft Motions	public domain		Derive aircraft motions, forces, and accelerations from radar range data. / ATC
Annular Duct Velocity	public domain		Compute the velocity distribution along an arbitrary line between the inner and outer walls of an annular duct with axisymmetric swirling flow. (work-in-progress) / ANDUCT
Arrow Wing Wave Drag	public domain		Closed form solution for the wave drag of an arrow or delta wing with sharp edges based on work of Rogers and Puckett and Stewart. / ROGERS
Atmosphere	public domain		Characteristics of the 1976 standard atmosphere to 1000 km altitude. An atmosphere procedure is given that you may include in your own programs. Separate versions are supplied in Basic, C, Fortran, Pascal, C++, and Fortran90, Visual Basic and Delphi, IDL, and Python. Sample programs are included that print an atmosphere table. Non-standard atmosphere routines (hot, cold, polar, tropical) are also included. / ATMOS
Atmospheric interaction plume	public domain		Predict the gas dynamic and chemical properties of underexpanded rocket plumes. (work-in-progress) / AIPP
AVL	GNU GPL		aerodynamics, vortex lattice code
Blender	GNU GPL		3D modeling and animation tool. Demonstrated for shape deformation to support optimal design.
BRLCAD	BSD, GNU LGPLv2		open source solid modeling system that includes interactive geometry editing, high-performance ray-tracing for rendering and geometric analysis, image and signal-processing tools
Calculix	GNU GPL		finite element solver
Cascade Flow (2D)	public domain		Nonrotating Blade-To-Blade, Steady, Potential Transonic Cascade Flow Analysis Code (work-in-progress) / CAS2D
CEASIOM	CEASIOM EULA	MATLAB	conceptual aircraft design
Celestial Coordinate Transformations	public domain		There are at least three basic frames of reference for celestial coordinates: equatorial, ecliptic, and galactic. This module contains subroutines for performing transformations from one system into another. / CELEST
CGAL	GNU GPL, LGPL		Computational Geometry Algorithms Library, unstructured mesh generation capability
Cold Arc	public domain		Dissociated air flow effects during plasma arc testing. (work-in-progress) / COLDARC
Compressible Flow Calculator	public domain		Make calculations involving isentropic flow, normal shock waves, oblique shock waves, Rayleigh and Fanno flow, and characteristics of the standard atmosphere. / VUCALC
Computer Methods for Mathematical Calculation	public domain		The software from the classic textbook by Forsythe, Malcolm and Moler has been rewritten in modern Fortran along with the sample problems and a number of the end-of-chapter problems. You probably need a copy of the book. / FMM
Conical Relaxation	public domain		Conical relaxation program for supersonic wing design and analysis (work-in-progress) / COREL
Contour Plotting (I)	public domain		A General Algorithm For The Construction Of Contour Plots / CONPLOT
Contour Plotting (II)	public domain		Generalized digital contouring program / CONTOUR
Core RHSEG	NOSA		image segmentation
Dakota	GNU LGPL		optimization, parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification
Digital Datcom	public domain		Estimate stability and control characteristics of a wide variety of airplane and missile configurations with this famous USAF program. Has all example cases from the document, both input and output. / DATCOM
Divergence	public domain		Aeroelastic divergence characteristics of unguided, slender body, multi-stage launch vehicles (work-in-progress) / DIVERGE
Elmer	GNU GPLv2		finite element solver
Engineering Sketch Pad	GNU LGPL		A Solid-Modeling, Feature-Based, Web-Enabled System for Building Parametric Geometry
Eppler	public domain		The well-known Eppler airfoil program including boundary layer analysis. / EPPLER
F2PY	GNU LGPL		Fortran to Python interface generator. F2PY is a python package (with a command line tool f2py and a module f2py2e) that facilitates creating/building Python C/API extension modules that make it possible to call Fortran77/90/95 external subroutines and Fortran 90/95 module subroutines as well as C functions, and to access Fortran 77 COMMON blocks and Fortran 90/95 module data, including allocatable arrays from Python.
Fair Data	public domain		Compute the coefficients of a smoothing spline that approximates a set of data. Originally designed to be used for wind tunnel data but may be applicable to diverse applications. / FAIRDATA
Flexible spacecraft dynamics	public domain		Simulate a large class of flexible and rigid spacecraft. The flexibility is treated continuously (by use of shape functions) rather than by finite elements. (work-in-progress) / FSD
FlightGear	GNU GPL		FlightGear is an open-source flight simulator. The goal of the FlightGear project is to create a sophisticated and open flight simulator framework for use in research or academic environments, pilot training, as an industry engineering tool, for DIY'ers to pursue their favorite interesting flight simulation idea, and last but certainly not least as a fun, realistic, and challenging desktop flight simulator.
Flow Field in Supersonic Inlet	public domain		Based on 2D or axisymmetric method of characteristics. NASA Ames program by Virginia Sorensen. / INLET
Fluid Properties	public domain		A companion program to GasProperties computes thermodynamic and transport properties of many gases. Treats air and steam as well as pure fluids. From NASA Glenn (Lewis). / FLUID
Flutter Analysis by Strip Theory	public domain		A modified strip analysis has been developed for rapidly predicting flutter of finite-span, swept or unswept wings at subsonic to hypersonic speeds. (work-in-progress) / FLUTTER
FreeCAD	GNU LGPL		parametric 3D modeler
FreeFEM++	GNU LGPLv2.1		a partial differential equation solver
GasProperties	public domain		Compute real gas properties of ten important gases over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. Covers cryogenic regions and saturated liquid/gas regions. From NASA Glenn (Lewis). / GASP
Geometry Conversion	public domain		Convert the geometry information for the WaveDrag,WingBody, and PanAir into WGS for input to the hidden-line program or ThreeView. Display your vehicle concepts. / 2WGS
GMAT	Apache v2.0		GMAT is designed to model, optimize, and estimate spacecraft trajectories in flight regimes ranging from low Earth orbit to lunar applications, interplanetary trajectories, and other deep space missions. Analysts model space missions in GMAT by first creating resources such as spacecraft, propagators, estimators, and optimizers.
gmsh	GNU GPLv2		3D finite element grid generator with a build-in CAD engine and post-processor
GRAPE	public domain		Two-Dimensional Grids About Airfoils And Other Shapes By The Use Of Poisson's Equation> / GRAPE
Growler	NOSA		distributed object and event architecture
HeeksCAD/CNC	BSD 3-clause		3D CAD application with extensive CAM features
HiFiLES	GNU GPLv3		High Fidelity Large Eddy Simulation (HiFiLES) is an open-source, high-order, compressible flow solver for unstructured grids built from the ground up to take full advantage of parallel computing architectures. It is specially well-suited for Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) architectures. HiFiLES is written in C++. The code uses the MPI protocol to run on multiple processors, and CUDA to harness GPU performance.
Hypersonic Aerodynamics for Arbitrary Bodies.	public domain		This is a totally new program based on the USAF program written by Gentry, Smyth and Oliver of Douglas Aircraft. Currently, only the inviscid methods are coded. The geometry is supplied in LaWgs (Langley Wireframe Geometry Standard). (work-in-progress) / HYPER
Induced Drag from Span Load Distribution.	public domain		This is a popular algorithm for computing the span load distribution on a planar wing when only a few sparse values of the loading are known. / INDUCED
Interplanetary Mission Planner	public domain		A flexible interplanetary mission analysis program using patched conics. (work-in-progress) / TOMARS
IPEG	public domain		Improved Price Estimation Guidelines (work-in-progress) / IPEG
JSBSIM	GNU LGPLv2		flight dynamics model including fully configurable flight control system, aerodynamics, propulsion, landing gear arrangement, rotational earth effects on the equations of motion and output formats
Kernel Function	public domain		Compute unsteady aerodynamics with a kernel function technique which uses assumed pressure functions with unknown coefficients. (work-in-progress) / KERNEL
Line Interpolation	public domain		Tools to help you get those needed data points when doing an airplane layout. / LININTRP
Line Intersection	public domain		Tools to help you get those needed data points when doing an airplane layout. / LININTRP
LONGLIB	public domain		A Graphics Library for Engineering Plots. (work-in-progress) / LONGLIB
Mars Relay Communication Link	public domain		Evaluates the communication link between a Mars lander, a Mars orbiter, and Earth. Designed for the Viking mission. (work-in-progress) / RELAY
Mass Properties of a Rigid Structure	public domain		Rapidly calculate the mass properties of complex rigid structural systems. / MASSPROP
Matplotlib	BSD compatible		matplotlib is a python 2D plotting library which produces publication quality figures in a variety of hardcopy formats and interactive environments across platforms. matplotlib can be used in python scripts, the python and ipython shell, web application servers, and six graphical user interface toolkits.
Mean Aerodynamic Chord	public domain		Compute the mean aerodynamic chord of a wing of arbitrary planform. / GETMAC
Missile Lift	public domain		Aerodynamic Lift On Wing-Body Combinations At Small Angles Of Attack In Supersonic Flow (work-in-progress) / MISLIFT
Mission Analysis	public domain		A segmented mission analysis program for low and high speed aircraft. (work-in-progress) / NSEG
NACA Airfoils.	public domain		The coordinates of 4-digit, 4-digit-modified, 5-digit, 6-series, and 16-series airfoils may be accurately calculated. Newly modified to present upper and lower surface points at the same x-coordinate. Totally recoded in modern Fortran using modules. / NACA456
NASA CFD Utility Software Library	NOSA		The CFD Utility Software Library (previously known as the Aerodynamics Division Software Library at NASA Ames Research Center) contains nearly 30 libraries of generalized subroutines and close to 100 applications built upon those libraries. These utilities have accumulated during four decades or so of software development in the aerospace field. All are written in Fortran 90 or FORTRAN 77 with potential reuse in mind. The only exception is the C translations of a dozen or so numerics routines grouped as C_utilities.
NASA Open Source Repository	various		A home for the current state of open source software at NASA. Hosts distributed version control, documentation, and planning/management tools that are intended to lower the barriers to entry for software projects to go open.
NASTRAN plotting post processor	public domain		Plot the results from NASTRAN. (work-in-progress) / NASTPLT
Nozzle Exhaust	public domain		Analysis of three-dimensional supersonic nozzle exhaust flow fields (work-in-progress) / EXHAUST
ODTBX	NOSA	MATLAB	Orbit Determination Toolbox (ODTBX) is an orbit determination analysis tool based on Matlab and Java that provides a flexible way to do early mission analysis, especially for formation flying and exploration systems. ODTBX is composed of both Matlab and Java code. ODTBX functions and utilities are combined in a flexible architecture that allows for modular development of navigation algorithms and simulations. The core ODTBX functionality is realized through a set of estimation commands that incorporate Monte Carlo data simulation, linear covariance analysis, and measurement processing at a generic level.
OpenCASCADE	GNU LGPLv2.1		3D modeling and visualization
OpenFOAM	GNU GPL		computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package for complex fluid flows involving chemical reactions, turbulence and heat transfer, to solid dynamics and electromagnetics, also includes tools for meshing
OpenLSTO	Apache V2.0		Level set based structural topology optimization, written in C++.
OpenMDAO	Apache V. 2.0		multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization
OpenOpt	BSD 4-clause		numerical optimization
OpenSCAD	GNU GPLv2		software for creating solid 3D CAD objects
OpenVSP	NOSA		open source parametric aircraft geometry tool, vehicle sketch pad
Optical Systems Analysis	public domain		A General Optical Systems Evaluation Program (work-in-progress) / GOPTICS
Optimal Regulator Algorithms for the Control of Linear Systems	public domain		Design controllers and optimal filters for systems which can be modeled by linear, time-invariant differential and difference equations. / ORACLS
Optimum Flight Path (I)	public domain		A vertical profile which minimizes aircraft fuel burn or direct operating cost (work-in-progress) / OPTIM
Optimum Flight Path (II)	public domain		Optimum Trajectory of a Turbofan Airplane / OPTTRAJ
Pablo	public domain		Compute aerodynamic properties of an airfoil with boundary layer. Similar to Eppler, but coded with MatLab. / PABLO
Panair (A502)	public domain		High order aerodynamic panel code. The most versatile and accurate of all the linear theory panel codes. Subsonic/supersonic solutions with linear source strength variation and quadratic doublet strength variation. Very versatile boundary condition specifications. / PANAIR
PanAir input pre-processor	public domain		Helps create the carefully formatted input files to PanAir. / PANIN
Parametrized Investigation of Launch Opportunities and Trajectories	public domain		Delimits launch widows to define the dates and times of day that a satellite may be launched to satisfy mission constraints. (work-in-progress) / PILOT
PDAS	public domain		Public Domain Aeronautical Software
Polynomial Root Finder	public domain		Solves quartic/cubic/quadratic polynomial equations with real coefficients taking special care in accuracy and precision. / QUARTIC
pyOpt	GNU LGPL		numerical optimization
Quiz Program	public domain		An educational drill program that will teach you the aviation phonetic alphabet, 3-letter airport codes and more. Easily adaptable to other instructional tasks. / QUIZ
Rational Spline Subroutines	public domain		Scientific data often contains random errors that make plotting and curve-fitting difficult. The Rational-Spline Approximation with Automatic Tension Adjustment algorithm leads to a flexible, smooth representation of experimental data. / RSPLINE
Rotorcraft	public domain		Aeroelastic Analysis for Rotorcraft in Flight or in a Wind Tunnel (work-in-progress) / ROTOR
Scilab	CeCILL		numerical computing
SciPy	SciPy License		scientific computing with python
Silhouette	public domain		Perspective views of an arbitrary configuration defined by wireframe meshes of gridpoints with hidden line removal. Written by David Hedgley of NASA Dryden. A very simple program called 3view is also included that produces plan, side, and rear views from the same input file. / HLP
Sneak Circuit Analysis	public domain		Analyzes electrical circuits to assist in the design of wiring bundles. (work-in-progress) / SNEAK
Solar Powered Satellite	public domain		Computes the solar energy incident on photoelectric array and determines the thermal radiation gained and lost. Once these are known, the amount of power which can be generated and the temperature of the array is determined. / SOLARARR
Sonic Boom	public domain		This program computes the propagation of a sonic boon through the earth's atmosphere. / BOOM
Space Shuttle Synthesis Program	public domain		Conceptual design synthesis of one- or two-stage launch vehicles. (work-in-progress) / SSSP
SU2	GNU LGPLv2.1		Stanford University Unstructured CFD code
Super/Hypersonic Inviscid Flow	public domain		Computes the inviscid supersonic/hypersonic flowfield about complex vehicle geometries. (work-in-progress) / SHIFARC
Supersonic Wing Analysis	public domain		Combines source and vortex panel singularities for calculating the linear theory estimate of supersonic configuration aerodynamics. (work-in-progress) / W12SC3
Supersonic Wing Design	public domain		The famous Carlson-Middleton program for supersonic wing design. (work-in-progress) / TEA201
Takeoff and Landing of Transport Aircraft	public domain		This program provides for the detailed performance analysis of the takeoff and landing capabilities of specific aircraft designs and allows for sensitivity studies. The program calculates aircraft performance in accordance with the airworthiness standards of the Federal Aviation Regulations. (work-in-progress) / TOL
Tandem Blade Flowfield	public domain		Velocities And Streamlines on a Blade-To-Blade Stream Surface of a Tandem Blade Turbomachine. (work-in-progress) / TANDEM
Thermal Protection System	public domain		Multidimensional Heat Conduction Program (work-in-progress) / TPS
Thermal Response	public domain		One-Dimensional Numerical Analysis Of The Transient Thermal Response Of Multilayer Insulative Systems (work-in-progress) / THERM1D
Three-Dimensional Supersonic Viscous Flow	public domain		Determine the viscous and inviscid flow about a body of revolution at angle of attack. (work-in-progress) / AOFA
Tidy	public domain		A program for renumbering statements in a Fortran program. / TIDY
TIPSOD			data visualization
ToPy	GNU GPLv3		A program (written in Python) to solve one of three types of topology optimisation problems. You type a simple text input file (TPD file) and define one of the following three problems: minimum compliance, heat conduction, or mechanism design (synthesis).
Tornado	GNU GPLv2	MATLAB	aerodynamics
Trajectory Operations and Requirements	public domain		Monte Carlo Investigation Of Trajectory Operations And Requirements. (work-in-progress) / MONITOR
Turbine Rotor Blade	public domain		Design of Two-Dimensional Supersonic Turbine Rotor Blades with Boundary-Layer Correction (work-in-progress) / RBLADE
Turbulent skin friction	public domain		A coding of the reference temperature method of Barbara Short and Simon Sommer of NASA Ames. / TURBSF
V/STOL Aircraft Sizing and Performance	public domain		Performs comparative design study of V/STOL aircraft systems yielding aircraft size and mission performance data. (work-in-progress) / VASCOMP
Variable Dimension Automatic Synthesis Program	public domain		VASP is a variable dimension Fortran version of the Automatic Synthesis Program, used to implement Kalman filtering and control theory. / VASP
Variable Metric Algorithm for Constrained Optimization	public domain		The algorithm is based upon a variable metric method presented by M.J.D. Powell and a quadratic programming method by R. Fletcher. VMACO is a non-linear program developed to calculate the least value of a function of n variables subject to general constraints (both equality and inequality). / VMACO
Virtual Reality	public domain		This program makes a VRML model (a .wrl file) from a wireframe geometry in LaWGS format. (work-in-progress) / VRML
Visualize Three-Dimensional Surfaces	public domain		Visualize a function of two variables. / VIEWER
Vortex Lattice Minimum Drag (VLMD)	public domain		This is one of many versions of the vortex lattice aerodynamic program from the low speed aerodynamics group at NASA Langley. / VLMD
Wave Drag by Area Rule	public domain		This is the famous Harris Wave Drag Program from NASA Langley. / WAVEDRAG
WingBody panel code	public domain		Subsonic/Supersonic Aerodynamics of simple wing-body-tail combinations. This is the Woodward panel code that includes calculation of the wing shape for minimum drag in supersonic cruise. / WINGBODY
Wireframe generator	public domain		Creates wireframe models of simple wings and bodies. / MAKEWGS
XFLR5	GNU GPL		analysis tool for airfoils, wings and planes operating at low Reynolds Numbers
XFoil	GNU GPL		interactive program for the design and analysis of subsonic isolated airfoils