Abstract
Flight software (FSW) is a mission critical element of spacecraft functionality and performance. When ground operations personnel interface to a spacecraft, they are dealing almost entirely with onboard software. This software, even more than ground/flight communications systems, is expected to perform perfectly at all times during all phases of on-orbit mission life. Due to the fact that FSW can be reconfigured and reprogrammed to accommodate new spacecraft conditions, the on-orbit FSW maintenance team is usually significantly responsible for the long-term success of a science mission. Failure of FSW can result in very expensive operations work-around costs and lost science opportunities.
There are three basic approaches to staffing on-orbit software maintenance, namely: (1) using the original developers, (2) using mission operations personnel, or (3) assembling a Center of Excellence for multi-spacecraft on-orbit FSW support. This paper explains a National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC) experience related to the roles of on-orbit FSW maintenance personnel. It identifies the advantages and disadvantages of each of the three approaches to staffing the FSW roles, and demonstrates how a cost efficient on-orbit FSW Maintenance Center of Excellence can be established and maintained with significant return on the investment.
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Abbreviations
- CSC:
-
Computer Sciences Corporation
- CGRO:
-
Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
- FSW:
-
flight software
- FOT:
-
flight operations team
- IOC:
-
In-orbit Checkout
- NASA/GSFC:
-
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Goddard Space Flight Center
- UARS:
-
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
- XTE:
-
X-Ray Timing Explorer
References
Maldari, P., Jorgensen, C, and Baudoux, D., “On-board Software Maintenance — an Operational Task”, International Symposium on On-Board Real-Time Software. ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, November 13–15, 1995.
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© 2000 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Shell, E., Lue, Y., Chu, M.I. (2000). Spacecraft Onboard Software Maintenance — An Effective Approach which Reduces Costs and Increases Science Return. In: Miau, JJ., Holdaway, R. (eds) Reducing the Cost of Spacecraft Ground Systems and Operations. Space Technology Proceedings, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9395-3_48
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9395-3_48
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5400-5
Online ISBN: 978-94-015-9395-3
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