How to better test and validate your spacecraft’s flight software
The space industry is booming, with commercial constellations like Starlink and OneWeb promising global internet access, and multiple private companies planning lunar missions. But behind the glitz of satellites and landers lies a crucial, but often overlooked component: Flight Software (FSW). But the way we currently develop and test flight software is antiquated and inefficient, the top 3 reasons being:
Many flight software systems are built on decades-old codebases. While reliable, they're often inflexible and difficult to modify for new missions.
Building flight software is a monumental task, with companies often starting from scratch for each new satellite. This is like if every company decided to make its own Outlook app before sending an email-- it makes no sense! Standardization and modularity are needed to create reusable components that can be adapted for different missions.
Testing flight software thoroughly is critical, but it's incredibly complicated, time-consuming and expensive. The current "state of the art" techniques involves finding a way for multiple disconnected softwares to communicate efficiently with each other and share data. Once you've solved that problem, then you can get started on the herculean effort of simulating your software on either real or virtual hardware.
The current "State of the Art" in software testing
Commercial satellite companies can't afford to make mistakes, and this pressure for ultra-reliable operations leads to a slow, risk-averse software development process that stifles innovation.
We at ATTX Engineering think this approach is entirely backwards. Your spacecraft needs robust and versatile flight software, and the only way to accomplish that is by testing often and iterating quickly.
Our platform, ModelSpace, is the most user friendly tool for the design, development, test, and qualification of flight software and GN&C. The most expensive element of any software development project is the engineers' time. ModelSpace saves developers time through a simple and friendly integration interface, extensive documentation, and elimination of repetitive tasks. We even offer an AI assistant, ATTX Assist, that is available 24/7 to answer questions about our codebase.
Easily drop your FSW / GN&C into ATTX's ModelSpace platform
Just like the tools we use to build websites and apps have gotten better, so too can the tools for building spacecraft flight software. ATTX helps modernize the toolset by leveraging the latest and greatest innovations in software development and bringing that to the aerospace industry. Using ModelSpace can make flight software creation faster, more efficient, and easier to maintain.
Develop over 50% faster by leveraging FSW / GN&C tools within ModelSpace
While leveraging the modular flight software development approach within ModelSpace has many immediate benefits, it also supports long-term capabilities. One of these is the ability to quickly test component level code "in-the-loop" without having the entire flight software suite debugged and ready. It also allows you to re-use many aspects of your current flight software in the development of new vehicles and spacecraft.
Easily test and reuse individual modules
Developing and testing flight software doesn't have to be stuck in the past. By embracing new technologies and fostering a more collaborative approach, we can create a future where space exploration is driven by robust, adaptable, and efficient software. The final frontier awaits, and it's time our code caught up.
If you're interested in learning more about implementing ModelSpace in your program, send us an email at: info@attxengineering.com
