NEW PROGRAM SMOOTHS X-38 TEST OPERATIONS



August 7, 1998



John Ira Petty
Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
(281/483-5111)

<h4>Release: J98-34</h4> <h3>New Program Smooths X-38 Test 
Operations</h3> 

A flexible, effective monitoring and control program with wide 
applications for the X-38 project has been developed by the 
Automation, Robotics and Simulation Division of the Engineering 
Directorate at the Johnson Space Center.



The program, called Portable Diagnostic Terminal software, uses 
National Instrument Co.&rsquo;s Labview language to enable an IBM 
Thinkpad to monitor systems of the prototype X-38 before and after 
flight and provide limited pre- and post-flight command capability.



Frank Delgado of the Engineering Directorate headed up the software 
project, which resulted in the development of the application in less 
than a year.



"The approach we used minimized the number of engineers needed to 
create the software," Delgado said. "We used an object-oriented 
approach to develop a common set of displays that could be used to 
create other monitoring applications."



The software is used on the ground to monitor the X-38&rsquo;s health 
and status before flight tests. It can turn systems on and off.



During flight tests, while the X-38 is attached to the wing of a B-52, 
the terminal with the new software is wired to the vehicle and is 
used to prepare it for free flight. With it, the launch panel 
operator can declare the X-38 "ready for flight," the last step 
before the pilot&rsquo;s decision to release the craft.



The fully functional software was delivered to the X-38 program in 
1997. It has been used in six captive carry tests, with the X-38 
remaining attached to the B-52, and one free-flight test.



The application will be used for the remaining flight tests of the 
current X-38 prototype. It also will be used in flight testing of a 
subsequent X-38 prototype, which will begin this fall.



"The application lets us look into the vehicle," said Debbie Buscher, 
software lead of the of the X-38 program. "It&rsquo;s our one way of 
communicating with the vehicle and determining what&rsquo;s going on 
before release."



She said methods used by Delgado and his team to develop the software 
resulted in a quick and rational development process.



The X-38 concept could become the first new spacecraft in two decades 
to orbit the Earth. The initial goal of the project was to develop a 
crew return vehicle for the International Space Station. The concept 
could be modified for other uses, including perhaps a joint U.S. and 
international human spacecraft that could be used in conjunction with 
any of several U.S. or international launchers.



Flight testing of the X-38, developed in a project with a strong focus 
on economy and efficiency, began last year.

	
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