Guest editor shuttle primary avionics software system. Take the upgrade of the software to permit the shuttle to navigate with. In flight, all shuttle control activitiesincluding main engine throttling, directing control jets to turn the vehicle in a different orientation, firing the engines, or providing guidance commands for landingare performed manually or automatically with this. This paper describes how a set of offtheshelf general purpose digital computers is being managed in a redundant avionic configuration while performing flightcritical functions for the space shuttle.
Funding restrictions precluded pursuing the development of both programs simultaneously, however. As the 120ton space shuttle sits surrounded by almost 4 million pounds of rocket fuel, exhaling noxious fumes, visibly impatient to defy gravity. On top of the features included in the original space shuttle deluxe, it simulates some of the displays in the shuttle and simulates some of the systems in the real shuttle, including the apuhyd system. It was obvious from the very beginning that developing the shuttle s software would be a complicated job. Due to the unstable aerodynamic nature of the orbiter, constant computer aid would be needed to assist with rudimentary flight tasks and the safe operation of the space shuttle. Every software engineering project could boast similar numbers. In this paper, the authors cite the space shuttle lioh lab as a real life example of how agile was used to effectively accomplish software development, and shortened the timeframe for successful completion of the lioh lab cartridge automated resource tracking project. The space shuttle avionics and pass legacy includes. Approximately 275 people support the space shuttle software development effort. Abstract ibms federal systems division is responsible for supplying errorfree software for nasas space shuttle program. Although nasa believed its procedures to be sound, it expanded an existing contract with intermetrics, inc. Software errors could have destroyed boeing starliner. Jun 28, 2011 nasas space shuttle program officially began in 1972, but its roots go all the way back to a nazi concept vehicle from the 1930s. Cct develops space shuttle fuel cell telemetry processing system kennedy space center, fl.
It is possible to achieve zero defects but it is also costly. Jun 18, 2019 this is lecture 2 of the systems engineering curriculum from mit and edx, engineering the space shuttle. In addition, the shuttle software required 30 times more coding than that of the apollo moon missions, and the instructions tested the memory limits of the orbiteras computers 5. Was nasas software development team for the space shuttle. This document lists 31 operational increment oi releases i. The development of space shuttle software posed unique requirements above and beyond raw size 30 times larger than saturn v software, complexity, and criticality. The first of four orbital test flights occurred in 1981, leading to operational flights beginning in 1982. Architecture of the space shuttle primary avionics software system. The software used to control assent was about perfectly bugfree. It simulates the space shuttle approach and landing in incredible. This program mainly consisted of construction of a space station, along with the development of a space shuttle. The space shuttle flight software development process. Login register cart help an assessment of space shuttle flight software development processes 1993.
Most projects simply cannot afford the same level of testing as. To ensure that the bfs was as independent as possible, nasa contracted with rockwell to write it, and even different development environments. All told, pass has been in control for over 0 days of orbital. Effective software is essential to the success and safety of the space shuttle, inc.
We could write nearly perfect software but we choose not. The shuttle program will end when atlantis touches down next. Objective this paper is based on a recent experience implementing and testing a large new software capability in a. To support the international space station mission requirements, nasa began to identify, develop, and schedule shuttle performance enhancements. Communications of the acm september 1984 volume 27 number 9 pp.
When the software is satisfied with the shuttle s position in space, it orders the main engines to shut down weightlessness begins and everything starts to float. Space shuttle primary flight software system the development of space shuttle software posed unique requirements above and beyond raw size 30 times larger than saturn v software, complexity, and criticality. Come and hear an actual account of agile techniques used in the production of the life support system for the space shuttle and international space station. The space shuttle program alone has generated more than 100 technology spinoffs. What was the nature of the known bugs in the space shuttle. And yet during a mission as recent as 1992, a space shuttle computer became stymied while executing a program it had run millions of times before. Redundancy management technique space shuttle computers. Nobody knows the real number of bugs in any software at any time, but jim orr literally wrote the book on space shuttle software issues and errors. Nasas space shuttle program officially began in 1972, but its roots go all the way back to a nazi concept vehicle from the 1930s. This blog post was inspired by an article they write the right stuff by charles fishman published in the dec 1996jan 1997 issue of fast company magazine. Fsim space shuttle have you ever wondered what its like to land the space shuttle. Software engineering institute sei a measure of the sophistication and. Boeing s crew space transportation cst100 starliner spacecraft is being developed in collaboration with nasas commercial crew program. The article describes the software development process used by onboard shuttle group that writes software for nasa to be run on control computers inside the space shuttle.
Space shuttle flight software period themes initial pass oft development through sts5 1978 1982 prechallengeraccidentoperations1983challenger accident operations 1983 1985. The space shuttle prototype enterprise rides atop nasas shuttle carrier aircraft 905 during the first of the shuttle programs approach and landing tests at nasa dryden in february 1977. Hardware network security cloud software development. Integration efforts during fy 1995 also included analyses of structural loads. Nasa chose to develop the space shuttle program first, and then planned to use the shuttle in order to construct and service a space. The shuttle program office has the final authority for all flight software requirements. Space shuttle mission 2007 is the culmination of six years of research and development by a team of talented developers and dedicated space and simulation fans. The design, development, and integration of the shuttle onboard primary avionics software system pass have posed unique requirements associated with. An assessment of space shuttle flight software development. The product is designed to provide the experience and excitement of historic and current nasa space shuttle missions. The space shuttle engineering integration office by assignment to the space shuttle avionics office has primary responsibility for the entire process of software verification and validation. Even so there was an interesting phenomena that everybody on my team reported at some point having a nightmare where the shuttle blows up and its your fault. Guest editor architecture of the space shuttle primary avionics software system pass, perhaps the most complex flight computer program ever developed, epitomizes the benefits to be gained by establishing a wellstructured system architecture at the front end of the development process gene d. Developing software for the space shuttle 108 during 1973 and 1974 the first requirements began to be specified for what has become one of the most interesting software systems ever designed.
Since 1976, over 1,500 documented nasa technologies have benefited u. With the sts5 landing, the space shuttle primary avionics software system pass has completed over thirty years of operational service as the brains of the flybywire space shuttle vehicle. Enterprise during test rollout when external tanks were still painted white. I cant imagine how bad this was for the guys who wrote the actual core software described here. An assessment of space shuttle flight software development processes national research council, division on engineering and physical sciences. A case study is then presented of the analysis of failure data from a space shuttle software project to predict the number of failures. Ibm and rockwell international had worked together during the. How often, if ever, was software updated in the shuttle. Space shuttle spinoffs every day, in a variety of ways, american lives are touched by space technology. After the space shuttle columbia disaster, the canadarm was always paired with the orbiter boom sensor system obss, which was used to inspect the exterior of the shuttle for damage.
Nasa chose to develop the space shuttle program first, and then planned to use the shuttle in order to construct and service a space station. Nov 27, 2019 download space shuttle ultra for free. The shuttle was the most complex flying machine ever built and required sophisticated software to ensure a successful operation. There could be absolutely no exceptions in any of the processing and quality steps or the as. Hals is a realtime aerospace programming language compiler and cross compiler for avionics applications used by nasa and associated agencies jpl, etc. It was based on some ai principles and was a good idea, but was never put into active use. Developing software for the space shuttle nasa history division. Stsorbit plus, usually known as stsplus, will track the space shuttle or any satellite for which orbital data tles are available. Process development started at beginning of project d t il d t i pass lit d li bilit i t i d idetailed metrics on pass process, quality, and reliability is contained in a separate companion presentation space shuttle program primary avionics software system pass slsuccess. Its official program name was space transportation system, taken from a 1969 plan for a system of reusable spacecraft of which it was the only item funded for development. National aeronautics and space administration as part of the space shuttle program. The environment of space is very harsh and unfriendly and not just space, but getting into space, said roscoe ferguson, a space shuttle flight software operating system engineer for the united space alliance.
A brief description of the program and several screen capture examples follow the links for downloading the program files. Space shuttle mission sts83 was scheduled for a 16 day spacelab mission in april 1997 to conduct microgravity research. The main reason space shuttle reliability is not a priority in the software industry in general is that the whole focus of the industry has become the quick buck, the rush to the ipo, the dazzling of the user with endless features that have minimal utility. We could write nearly perfect software but we choose not to.
The software gives the orders to gimbal the main engines, executing the dramatic belly roll the shuttle does soon after it clears the tower. The software throttles the engines to make sure the craft doesnt accelerate too fast. Nasa photo the space shuttle orbiter was the first spacecraft designed with the aerodynamic characteristics and inatmosphere handling qualities of a. As the 120ton space shuttle sits surrounded by almost 4 million. The software engineering team at kennedy space center ksc can support a full lifecycle of software development services, ranging from requirements gathering, to design and development, testing, deployment and maintenance. Space shuttle mission 2007 is the newest, most exciting and affordable space shuttle simulator available today. Nasa was able to achieve zero defects for the space shuttle software, but at a cost of thousands of dollars per line of code. Nasa awarded ibm corporation the first independent shuttle software contract on march 10, 1973. In 1969, shortly after the first moon landing of the apollo program, the presidents space task group recommended that the united states initiate a program to develop a new space transportation system. Pursuant to a congressional request, gao obtained information on the national aeronautics and space administrations nasa efforts to improve shuttle software oversight activities and identified. Then once you get into space you have the radiation. Nasa shuttle computers navigate record of reliability.
Rone the design, development, and integration of the shuttle. Skytale studios or skytale software gmbh is a small independent software developer company located in the heart of europe, in vienna, austria. A central part of this effort is the history of the space shuttle, which has. This is lecture 2 of the systems engineering curriculum from mit and edx, engineering the space shuttle. The shuttle remote manipulator system srms, also known as canadarm or retroactively canadarm 1, is a series of robotic arms that were used on the space shuttle orbiters to deploy, maneuver and capture payloads. The space shuttle primary avionics system software pass was developed with multiple redundancies to permit the routine safe operation of the space transportation system 4. The space shuttle was a partially reusable low earth orbital spacecraft system that was operated from 1981 to 2011 by the national aeronautics and space administration nasa as part of the space shuttle program. Redundancy management technique for space shuttle computers abstract. The division participates in both programatic functions as well as targeted research and development in support of. Space shuttle ec 61 the space shuttle program plays a vital role in nasas goal to explore space and extend a human presence across our solar system by providing critical support for the assembly and operation of the international space station. Space shuttle fuel cell command and control technologies.
Nasa space shuttle flight control software statistical. Special section paul schneck guest editor design, development. The space shuttle is a partially reusable low earth orbital spacecraft system that was operated from 1981 to 2011 by the u. The ksc team has developed systems on a range of technology platforms using software. Stsorbit plus space shuttle and satellite tracking software by david h.
Jan 14, 2012 enterprise during test rollout when external tanks were still painted white. It simulates the space shuttle approach and landing in incredible detail and accuracy. Space shuttle program primaryyy avionics software system. Hals is a realtime aerospace programming language compiler and crosscompiler for avionics applications used by nasa and associated agencies jpl, etc. Hardware network security cloud software development artificial intelligence. Page 4 gaolmtegsl20 space shuttle software development. Read an assessment of space shuttle flight software development.
In september 1969, the space task group, under leadership of vice president spiro agnew, issued a report calling for the development of a space shuttle to bring people and cargo to low earth orbit leo, as well as a space tug for transfers between orbits and the moon, and a reusable nuclear stage for deep space travel 163166. The space shuttle flight software development process an. Agile software development and the space shuttle lioh lab. Mar 14, 2014 the article describes the software development process used by onboard shuttle group that writes software for nasa to be run on control computers inside the space shuttle. Space shuttle ec 61 the space shuttle program plays a vital role in nasa s goal to explore space and extend a human presence across our solar system by providing critical support for the assembly and operation of the international space station. Guest editor architecture of the space shuttle primary avionics software system pass, perhaps the most complex flight computer program ever developed, epitomizes the benefits to be gained by establishing a wellstructured system architecture at the front end of the development.
But when you look at how they did this is was not so much skill as that management completely sacrificed productivity for quality. The primary avionics software system pass is the missioncritical onboard data processing system for nasas space shuttle fleet. An assessment of space shuttle flight software development processes. Established in 1990, the software, robotics, and simulation division er is responsible for the design, development, testing, and operations of intelligent systems, robotic systems, and realtime simulation systems that facilitate the human exploration and development of space. Its official program name was space transportation system sts, taken from a 1969 plan for a system of reusable spacecraft of which it was the only item funded for development. The starliner was designed to accommodate seven passengers, or a mix of crew and cargo, for missions to lowearth orbit. Programmers have learned how software breaks, according to robert hinson, chief of the shuttle data systems branch at nasas johnson space center in houston. An assessment of space shuttle flight software development processes free pdf downloadable after registration. Something like a desktop might not even survive all the vibration. Space flight and space technologyspace shuttle technology. Fsim space shuttle is a critically acclaimed flight simulator for iphone, ipad and ipod touch. It was obvious from the very beginning that developing the shuttles software would be a complicated job.
37 66 931 1120 1159 727 1639 873 58 1068 1626 226 1359 877 1090 938 455 972 526 1679 1530 338 1243 633 78 703 361 1110 1412 626 1570 1056 358 338 344 1388 620 342 1023 934 302 1452