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At least 91 records · Page 5

GMI-IPS: Processing & Visualization Software Used in ATom DC-8 Aircraft Studies

NASA's Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom) deployed in each of the four seasons during 2016-2018, the DC-8 aircraft in order to establish global-scale datasets intended to improve the representation of chemically reactive gases in global atmospheric chemistry models (ACMs). The Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) executed simulations for each ATom flight using the GMI Chemistry Transport Model (GMI-CTM) to provide species concentrations of chemical gases along the DC-8 flight transects. To solve the problem of translating the GMI-CTM simulation data to the unique spatial resolutions of each ATom flight, the GMI ICARTT Processing Software (GMI-IPS) was developed.The GMI-IPS is written in Python and provides data processing, flight extraction, and visualization support for aircraft research projects using ICARTT format, which is a standard format for airborne instrument data. Additionally, the GMI-IPS interpolates global gridded model data from Hierarchical Data Format (HDF) to ICARTT compatible flight transects. Software classes for instruments and collections provided by the ATom DC-8 aircraft such as MER10, MMS, etc. are derived from a common base class. Other functionality provided by the GMI-IPS are: deriving missing flight entries along a transect, reading ICARTT entries from file, and providing Python data structures for storing flight and model information, and more.The GMI-IPS is GIT source controlled, has approximately 30,000 lines of code, and supports parallelization across data collections. It delivered GMI-CTM data for more than forty distinct DC-8 aircraft flights that took place under ATom. The output ICARTT files adhere to format standard V1.1, and pass the scan utility provided by NASA LaRC Airborne Science Data for Atmospheric Composition. This presentation will include a software and methods overview, and results from ATom, including assessments using the GMI-CTM showing how well observations from ATom flight transects represent a broader region.

Damon, M. R.↗

A general software reliability process simulation technique

The structure and rationale of the generalized software reliability process, together with the design and implementation of a computer program that simulates this process are described. Given assumed parameters of a particular project, the users of this program are able to generate simulated status timelines of work products, numbers of injected anomalies, and the progress of testing, fault isolation, repair, validation, and retest. Such timelines are useful in comparison with actual timeline data, for validating the project input parameters, and for providing data for researchers in reliability prediction modeling.

Tausworthe, Robert C.↗

The development and technology transfer of software engineering technology at NASA. Johnson Space Center

The United State's big space projects of the next decades, such as Space Station and the Human Exploration Initiative, will need the development of many millions of lines of mission critical software. NASA-Johnson (JSC) is identifying and developing some of the Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) technology that NASA will need to build these future software systems. The goal is to improve the quality and the productivity of large software development projects. New trends are outlined in CASE technology and how the Software Technology Branch (STB) at JSC is endeavoring to provide some of these CASE solutions for NASA is described. Key software technology components include knowledge-based systems, software reusability, user interface technology, reengineering environments, management systems for the software development process, software cost models, repository technology, and open, integrated CASE environment frameworks. The paper presents the status and long-term expectations for CASE products. The STB's Reengineering Application Project (REAP), Advanced Software Development Workstation (ASDW) project, and software development cost model (COSTMODL) project are then discussed. Some of the general difficulties of technology transfer are introduced, and a process developed by STB for CASE technology insertion is described.

Pitman, C. L.↗

The Software Engineering Laboratory: An operational software experience factory

For 15 years, the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) has been carrying out studies and experiments for the purpose of understanding, assessing, and improving software and software processes within a production software development environment at NASA/GSFC. The SEL comprises three major organizations: (1) NASA/GSFC, Flight Dynamics Division; (2) University of Maryland, Department of Computer Science; and (3) Computer Sciences Corporation, Flight Dynamics Technology Group. These organizations have jointly carried out several hundred software studies, producing hundreds of reports, papers, and documents, all of which describe some aspect of the software engineering technology that was analyzed in the flight dynamics environment at NASA. The studies range from small, controlled experiments (such as analyzing the effectiveness of code reading versus that of functional testing) to large, multiple project studies (such as assessing the impacts of Ada on a production environment). The organization's driving goal is to improve the software process continually, so that sustained improvement may be observed in the resulting products. This paper discusses the SEL as a functioning example of an operational software experience factory and summarizes the characteristics of and major lessons learned from 15 years of SEL operations.

Basili, Victor R.↗

Closing the loop on improvement: Packaging experience in the Software Engineering Laboratory

As part of its award-winning software process improvement program, the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) has developed an effective method for packaging organizational best practices based on real project experience into useful handbooks and training courses. This paper shares the SEL's experience over the past 12 years creating and updating software process handbooks and training courses. It provides cost models and guidelines for successful experience packaging derived from SEL experience.

Waligora, Sharon R.↗

Modeling the Object-Oriented Space Through Validated Measures

In order to truly understand software and the software development process, software measurement must be better understood. A beginning step toward a better understanding of software measurement is the categorization of the measurements by some meaningful taxonomy. The most meaningful taxonomy would capture the basic nature of the subject oriented (O-O) space. The interesting characteristics of object oriented software offer a starting point for such a categorization of measures. A taxonomy has been developed based on fourteen characteristics of object-oriented software gathered from the literature This taxonomy allows us to easily see gaps and redundancies in the O-O measures. The taxonomy also clearly differentiates among taxa so that there is no ambiguity as to the taxon to which a measure belongs. The taxonomy has been populated with thirty-two measures that have been validated in the narrow sense of Fenton, using measurement theory with Zuse's augmentation.

Neal, Ralph D.↗

Software life cycle methodologies and environments

Products of this project will significantly improve the quality and productivity of Space Station Freedom Program software processes by: improving software reliability and safety; and broadening the range of problems that can be solved with computational solutions. Projects brings in Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) technology for: Environments such as Engineering Script Language/Parts Composition System (ESL/PCS) application generator, Intelligent User Interface for cost avoidance in setting up operational computer runs, Framework programmable platform for defining process and software development work flow control, Process for bringing CASE technology into an organization's culture, and CLIPS/CLIPS Ada language for developing expert systems; and methodologies such as Method for developing fault tolerant, distributed systems and a method for developing systems for common sense reasoning and for solving expert systems problems when only approximate truths are known.

Fridge, Ernest↗

Analyses of requirements for computer control and data processing experiment subsystems. Volume 2: ATM experiment S-056 image data processing system software development

The IDAPS (Image Data Processing System) is a user-oriented, computer-based, language and control system, which provides a framework or standard for implementing image data processing applications, simplifies set-up of image processing runs so that the system may be used without a working knowledge of computer programming or operation, streamlines operation of the image processing facility, and allows multiple applications to be run in sequence without operator interaction. The control system loads the operators, interprets the input, constructs the necessary parameters for each application, and cells the application. The overlay feature of the IBSYS loader (IBLDR) provides the means of running multiple operators which would otherwise overflow core storage.

Source record↗

Software For Processing Meteorological Data

GEMPAK general meterological software includes programs to analyze and display surface, upper-air, or gridded data, including outputs of mathematical models. Includes capabilities to derive meteorological parameters to perform vertical interpolations to different coordinate systems, and to compute extensive set of gridded diagnostic quantities. Graphics/transformation subsystem, GEMPLT, provides capability to display output in variety of map projections or overlaid on satellite imagery. Written in FORTRAN 77.

Desjardins, Mary L.↗

Cassini's Maneuver Automation Software (MAS) Process: How to Successfully Command 200 Navigation Maneuvers

To keep Cassini on its complex trajectory, more than 200 orbit trim maneuvers (OTMs) have been planned from July 2004 to July 2010. With only a few days between many of these OTMs, the operations process of planning and executing the necessary commands had to be automated. The resulting Maneuver Automation Software (MAS) process minimizes the workforce required for, and maximizes the efficiency of, the maneuver design and uplink activities. The MAS process is a well-organized and logically constructed interface between Cassini's Navigation (NAV), Spacecraft Operations (SCO), and Ground Software teams. Upon delivery of an orbit determination (OD) from NAV, the MAS process can generate a maneuver design and all related uplink and verification products within 30 minutes. To date, all 112 OTMs executed by the Cassini spacecraft have been successful. MAS was even used to successfully design and execute a maneuver while the spacecraft was in safe mode.

Yang, Genevie Velarde↗

The use of analogs in the innovation process - A software engineering protocol analysis

A human information processing account of how experienced practitioners utilize analogs in the innovation process is presented. The protocols of several practitioners are collected and analyzed. The problem behavior graphs, knowledge elements utilized, and operator elements applied are described, and a descriptive model of the innovation process is assembled. Implications for a production system, deviations from other models of the innovation process, and extensions to other models of the analogy procedure are explored.

Silverman, B. G.↗

Software Graphics Processing Unit (sGPU) for Deep Space Applications

A graphics processing capability will be required for deep space missions and must include a range of applications, from safety-critical vehicle health status to telemedicine for crew health. However, preliminary radiation testing of commercial graphics processing cards suggest they cannot operate in the deep space radiation environment. Investigation into an Software Graphics Processing Unit (sGPU)comprised of commercial-equivalent radiation hardened/tolerant single board computers, field programmable gate arrays, and safety-critical display software shows promising results. Preliminary performance of approximately 30 frames per second (FPS) has been achieved. Use of multi-core processors may provide a significant increase in performance.

McCabe, Mary↗

Computer-aided software development process design

The authors describe an intelligent tool designed to aid managers of software development projects in planning, managing, and controlling the development process of medium- to large-scale software projects. Its purpose is to reduce uncertainties in the budget, personnel, and schedule planning of software development projects. It is based on dynamic model for the software development and maintenance life-cycle process. This dynamic process is composed of a number of time-varying, interacting developmental phases, each characterized by its intended functions and requirements. System dynamics is used as a modeling methodology. The resulting Software LIfe-Cycle Simulator (SLICS) and the hybrid expert simulation system of which it is a subsystem are described.

Lin, Chi Y.↗

Analyzing a Mature Software Inspection Process Using Statistical Process Control (SPC)

This paper presents a cooperative effort where the Software Engineering Institute and the Space Shuttle Onboard Software Project could experiment applying Statistical Process Control (SPC) analysis to inspection activities. The topics include: 1) SPC Collaboration Overview; 2) SPC Collaboration Approach and Results; and 3) Lessons Learned.

Barnard, Julie↗

Using Automation to Improve the Flight Software Testing Process

One of the critical phases in the development of a spacecraft attitude control system (ACS) is the testing of its flight software. The testing (and test verification) of ACS flight software requires a mix of skills involving software, attitude control, data manipulation, and analysis. The process of analyzing and verifying flight software test results often creates a bottleneck which dictates the speed at which flight software verification can be conducted. In the development of the Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) spacecraft ACS subsystem, an integrated design environment was used that included a MAP high fidelity (HiFi) simulation, a central database of spacecraft parameters, a script language for numeric and string processing, and plotting capability. In this integrated environment, it was possible to automate many of the steps involved in flight software testing, making the entire process more efficient and thorough than on previous missions. In this paper, we will compare the testing process used on MAP to that used on previous missions. The software tools that were developed to automate testing and test verification will be discussed, including the ability to import and process test data, synchronize test data and automatically generate HiFi script files used for test verification, and an automated capability for generating comparison plots. A summary of the perceived benefits of applying these test methods on MAP will be given. Finally, the paper will conclude with a discussion of re-use of the tools and techniques presented, and the ongoing effort to apply them to flight software testing of the Triana spacecraft ACS subsystem.

ODonnell, James R., Jr.↗

Workflow-Based Software Development Environment

The Software Developer's Assistant (SDA) helps software teams more efficiently and accurately conduct or execute software processes associated with NASA mission-critical software. SDA is a process enactment platform that guides software teams through project-specific standards, processes, and procedures. Software projects are decomposed into all of their required process steps or tasks, and each task is assigned to project personnel. SDA orchestrates the performance of work required to complete all process tasks in the correct sequence. The software then notifies team members when they may begin work on their assigned tasks and provides the tools, instructions, reference materials, and supportive artifacts that allow users to compliantly perform the work. A combination of technology components captures and enacts any software process use to support the software lifecycle. It creates an adaptive workflow environment that can be modified as needed. SDA achieves software process automation through a Business Process Management (BPM) approach to managing the software lifecycle for mission-critical projects. It contains five main parts: TieFlow (workflow engine), Business Rules (rules to alter process flow), Common Repository (storage for project artifacts, versions, history, schedules, etc.), SOA (interface to allow internal, GFE, or COTS tools integration), and the Web Portal Interface (collaborative web environment

Izygon, Michel E.↗