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+ Home > Facilities & Capabilities > VMS > Motion Base > DOF


VMS SIX DEGREES OF FREEDOM
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The VMS has the only large six-axis motion system in the world with independent control of rotations and translations, known as degrees of freedom. The ICAB, with a pilot inside, can be maneuvered in any of the six ways that an aircraft moves, including three translational degrees of freedom (vertical, lateral, and longitudinal) and three rotational degrees of freedom (pitch, roll, and yaw). The pictures below illustrate these six degrees of freedom in aircraft motion.

Image showing the left side of an aircraft with its nose pointing left. There is an arrow at the nose of the aircraft pointing left and an arrow at the tail of the aircraft pointing right.
Longitudinal (forward and backward thrust) 		Image showing the left side of an aircraft with an arrow at the top of the aircraft pointing up and an arrow at the bottom of the aircraft pointing down.
Vertical (aircraft moves upward and downward)
Image showing the top of an aircraft with its nose pointing up. There is an arrow at the left of the aircraft pointing left and an arrow at the right of the aircraft pointing right.
Lateral (aircraft moves from side to side) 		Image showing the left side of an aircraft with its nose pointing left. There is a double-ended arrow at the nose of the aircraft. One end is pointing up and to the right and the other end is pointing down and to the right.
Pitch (nose pitches up or down)
Image showing the front view of an aircraft. There is a double-ended arrow at the nose of the aircraft. One end is pointing up and to the left and the other end is pointing up and to the right.
Roll (wings roll up or down) 		Image showing the top of an aircraft with its nose pointing up. There is a double-ended arrow at the nose of the aircraft. One end is pointing down and to the left and the other end is pointing down and to the right.
Yaw (nose moves from side to side)


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NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Curator: Victoriana Delossantos
NASA Official: Wardell Lovett
Last Updated: October 9, 2007
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