To provide a method and apparatus comprising a location reference system and a control module.

The location reference system generates an arbitrary number of mobile platforms 106 in an environment. The control module 108 receives the location information about the arbitrary number of mobile platforms from the location reference system. The control module uses the location information to further generate command signals for the arbitrary number of mobile platforms. Then, the control module sends the command signals to the arbitrary number of mobile platforms to operate the arbitrary number of mobile platforms in the environment such that operation of the arbitrary number of mobile platforms emulates the operation of an arbitrary number of spacecraft systems 101 in a non-Earth terrestrial environment.