Aerospace Testing 2006

A Centralized ApproachTo

Ground Support SoftwareTo

Reduce Technical Risk and Overall Mission Costs

Thomas HauckGSE Software, Inc.hauck@gseos.com

Stephen E. JaskulekApplied Physics LaboratoryJohns Hopkins UniversitySteve.jaskulek@jhuapl.edu

New HorizonsCase study of the New Horizons Mission to Pluto

Launch: Jan. 19, 2006

Pluto Encounter: 2015

Mission Life CycleInstrument Test & Development Configuration

Flight Instrument

Spacecraft Interface

Emulation Hardware

Local Storage

BIOSSystem

Core

Network Interface

TLM & CMD interface

GSEOSInstrument Customization

TLMScreen

sTLM

ScreensTLM

ScreensTLM

Screens

Instrument Decoder

Instrument DecoderInstrument

Decoder

Payload Integration Configuration

Flight Instrument

Spacecraft

Local Storage

BIOSSystem

Core

Network Interface

TLM & CMD interface

SpacecraftGSE

GSEOSInstrument Customization

TLMScreen

sTLM

ScreensTLM

ScreensTLM

Screens

Instrument Decoder

Instrument DecoderInstrument

Decoder

Flight Operations Configuration

Flight Instrument

Spacecraft

Local Storage

BIOSSystem

Core

Network Interface

TLM & CMD interface

Ground Station

GSEOSInstrument Customization

TLMScreen

sTLM

ScreensTLM

ScreensTLM

Screens

Instrument Decoder

Instrument DecoderInstrument

Decoder

Pros of Decentralized Approach

Each instrument team is autonomous in the choice of their test and development system.

Potential re-use of existing test equipment and familiarity with existing development tools.

Administrative and budget structure often supports/dictates splitting the responsibilities at ICD level.

Cons of Decentralized Approach

Duplication of interface implementation effort.

Payload integration has to account for interface problems.

TLM&CMD changes are not adopted quickly and concurrently by instrument teams

Higher level test tools like STOL (Spacecraft Test and Operations Language) are usually not feasible to develop on instrument level

Little or no cross-instrument data visibility

Coordinated GSE

ALICE PEPSSI RALPH REXLORRI SDC

Instrument Test & Development

Payload Integration

Flight Operations

GSEOS

Mission Specific Extensions

S/C Hardware Emulator

Coordinated GSE Reduced mission wide development effort Payload integration can be performed more

efficiently High level test environments like STOL

interpreters are feasible Telemetry and command databases can be

converted into GSE configuration The instrument customization can be reused

through bench testing, payload integration, and flight operations

Cross-team data access Compact hardware configuration. One PC can

run all instrument GSEs simultaneously

GSEOS

Rapid Development Tool for GSE Quick Look System Simple bit level telemetry definition Dynamic data modeling with custom

decoders Archiving/Playback STOL Emulator Version Control Extremely portable

User Interface

Block Concept

Bios

RS422 Serial Input

RS422 Serial Output

Data

Commands

RS422Raw

DecoderStatus

TLM

Network Module

Ethernet TCP/ IP

Ethernet TCP/ IP

Data

CommandsSFDU Raw

SFDU

CCSDSHeader

RS422RawDecoder

SFDUDecoder

Block Hierarchy

New Horizons GSE

ExcelTM based TLM & CMD definitionsZero-Impact Conversion ToolsSTOL EmulatorCommon MOC (Mission Operation

Control) InterfaceConfiguration ControlCross-team Telemetry Visibility

Mission Benefits

Enhanced GSE capabilitiesReduced code duplication (20%)Reduced technical risk (30%)Reduced scheduling risk (50%)Reduced hardware costs (50%)Reduced overall mission costs

Discussion/Questions