Tue, Dec 23, 2008
Spacecraft Command Language Will Help NASA Modernize LCS
Computers
Technology consulting firm SRA International announced recently
NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has chosen SRA's Spacecraft Command
Language (SCL) to support the Constellation Program, which will
develop the new systems and vehicles that will replace the Space
Shuttle and provide for the nation's next generation of space
exploration.
KSC is modernizing the launch control system, using
commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS)-based solutions to control costs
and introduce state-of-the-art technology. SRA's SCL software
package will provide KSC engineers with the tools necessary to
process the new launch vehicle and provide real-time monitoring and
control of the launch control infrastructure.
SRA's SCL will be used throughout the entire infrastructure of
the Ares launch vehicle, the replacement for the Space Shuttle. At
KSC, SCL will be used to monitor ground support equipment; control
the re-fueling process; regulate countdown sequencing; and review
and test the Ares vehicle prior to and during countdown.
SCL has been approved for the International Space Station, and
has more than 10 years of on-orbit experience as a COTS flight
software product for NASA and military satellites. SCL uses the
same software on the flight system as on ground control systems,
allowing information to flow more easily among systems and
providing cost savings.
"NASA has embraced the idea of software re-use throughout the
entire lifecycle of the Constellation Program," said Brian Buckley,
SRA's program manager for the SCL system. "The SCL software is
being used successfully on the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and
the manufacturing infrastructure used throughout the country by
NASA. This contract solidifies SCL's role in the launch
infrastructure for Constellation and will provide NASA with a high
level of automation and significant cost savings."
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