Description of Driving Event:
Lack of Source Code for International Partner Elements of Space Station
Lesson(s) Learned:
Configuration management of ISS software does not include the source code for all of the elements being developed by the international partners.
Recommendation(s):
NASA should strengthen the configuration control for ISS software to include software (source code as well as binary) and simulations produced by all international partners and vendors.
Evidence of Recurrence Control Effectiveness:
NASA partially concurs with the recommendation, however, there seems to be some misunderstanding here. The source code for the Russian Service Module SM software is delivered to the SDIL. Some of the other partners, however do not deliver source code. This is based on their concerns that delivery of source code could compromise their contractor's proprietary data. From a configuration management viewpoint controlling the executable, which is what is loaded into the vehicle, is sufficient. The ISS has initiated discussions with all partners to reach agreement on what level of source code visibility is necessary to ensure adequate knowledge by the control centers for on-orbit anomaly resolution. The SM simulation software has been somewhat dynamic as the SM software has matured during vehicle testing in Moscow. Now that testing is finishing and the SM moves to the launch site, the simulation will stabilize. The flight software and the simulations are obviously tightly linked and the simulations should typically be updated, as they are currently, in conjunction with the flight software. NASA is working to put in place an encrypted link for electronic transmittals.
Documents Related to Lesson:
N/A
Mission Directorate(s):
- Exploration Systems
- Space Operations
- Aeronautics Research
Additional Key Phrase(s):
- Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel
- Computers
- Configuration Management
- Software
- Spacecraft
Additional Info:
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