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Open Source Satellite Control

Posted by michael on from the many-hands-make-light-work dept.

Debra writes "Have you ever wondered how you harness a satellite control system written in three languages, on four development platforms, and deployed to multiple client environments? With open source, naturally. When one wrong move can cost millions, you must rely on teamwork, smart design, and open standards to keep the project -- if not the satellite -- from going down in flames. This article covers software engineering basics, taking advantage of outside solutions, and scripting multi-million-dollar manuvers."

2 of 86 comments (clear)

  1. NASA, Tcl/Tk and Perl by ghostlibrary · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Actually, NASA satellite ops often uses generalized environments (was it called MOPS?) and mix contractor-produced customerware with in-house software or scripting. Then, use Perl to create stuff after launch that was needed, or to make stuff web-accessible (internal network only, sorry).

    Perl and Tcl/Tk are still popular (Tk for GUIs, Tcl or Perl for scripting).

    It's not GPLed open source but, within NASA, it is open source.

    Many missions are trying to move away from the 'custom designed only-works-for-us' software because it becomes rapidly dated.

    --
    A.
  2. This says it all. by FreeLinux · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Inadequate JVMs forced migration to Windows NT,

    Not a particularly strong endorsement of open souce now, is it? I'm sure we'll see this used in MS literature describing the stability of MS products. Something like:

    NT/2000/XP - So reliable, that the JPL uses it to control their satellites.