1.    What is GMSEC?

The Goddard Mission Services Evolution Center (GMSEC) often refers to:

a.     A program at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC): GMSEC is an integrated effort across multiple organizations to coordinate ground and flight system data systems development and services at GSFC. GMSEC provides mission enabling, cost and risk reducing data system solutions applicable to current and future missions managed by GSFC.

b.     An architecture: The GMSEC Architecture is an interconnection framework for building scalable, extensible ground systems for existing and future missions. While originally conceived for NASA missions, the architecture is not limited or restricted to NASA-only missions. The architecture enables quick and easy integration of functional components, which are selected to meet the unique needs of a particular mission. The architecture also enables the addition, deletion, and exchange of components to meet the changing requirements of missions as they progress through their lifecycles. The architecture provides a rapid, flexible, and cost-effective means to fulfill a variety of mission concepts, including concepts not yet fully developed. The architecture relies upon an Application Programming Interface (API) definition, standard message definitions, and an underlying communications middleware to implement the architecture. Refer to the GMSEC Architecture section on the homepage.

c. The software developed to implement the GMSEC Architecture: The GMSEC software consists of the Application Programming Interface (API) and a number of supporting application components. For descriptions and Fact Sheets on the available GMSEC software components, refer to the GMSEC Components.

2.    What is the GMSEC software?

a.     Application Programming Interface (API)The GMSEC API is a set of libraries that provide a common interface from the application to a variety of communications middleware. The API normalizes the interface to the underlying middleware such that a variety of commonly available middleware can be used depending on the mission requirements. Also, depending on the phase and/or requirements of a mission, one middleware can be exchanged for another with trivial configuration file changes. The GMSEC API is available for a number of operating systems, programming languages, and middleware. It also has a secure, government-use-only version.

b.     Application Components

The GMSEC program has developed and can provide a number of mission-ready applications. For descriptions and Fact Sheets on the available GMSEC software components, refer to the GMSEC Components.

c.     Standardized Messages

Application components utilize the GMSEC API libraries to send standardized messages to one another via the underlying middleware. By using the standardized messages, applications can provide and avail themselves of a number of common services within a system. Generic messages can also be used to provide specific services as agreed upon between software components. GMSEC standard message definitions are described in Object Management Group’s Command and Control Message Specification (OMG C2MS) document and the associated XML schema definition files. The GMSEC API also supports the ability to use messages that a mission or enterprise may have tailored for their particular needs.

d.     Communications Middleware

The GMSEC API is compatible with a number of communications middleware. That is, the API has been developed to provide a single interface from an application to various middlewares. Due to outside factors and changing requirements, this set may change over time. The current set of API compatible middleware can be found in the GMSEC Supported Middleware and Appliances section of the Installation and Configuration Guide for the GMSEC API, Middleware, and Appliances document.

3.    Where can I find out about the available GMSEC application components?

For descriptions and Fact Sheets on the available GMSEC software components, refer to the GMSEC Components.

4.    Is the GMSEC software available? How/where can I obtain the GMSEC software and documentation?

a.     GMSEC API

The GMSEC API open source version can be acquired in source code or binary form from the NASA open source site, here: NASA Software.

Once downloaded and unzipped, follow the instructions in the INSTALL.txt file to build the API.

The pre-compiled binaries of the GMSEC API for the supported operating systems are also available at the same site.

b.     GMSEC Software Components

The GMSEC Software Components (except for API as discussed above) are not currently available open source. For a list and description of the available software components, refer to the GMSEC Components. Requests for the software components and documentation can be sent by email to: gmsec-support@lists.nasa.gov.

5.    What support does GMSEC provide?

GMSEC has a team of development and support personnel that can be reached at: gmsec-support@lists.nasa.gov.

If desired, you can also request to be put on a GMSEC community email distribution list (not shared) for informative notifications such as future software releases.

6.    What is the contact information?

The GMSEC team can be reached at: gmsec-support@lists.nasa.gov.

7.    Where is/has the GMSEC software been used?

The GMSEC API software and associated application components were first used in an operational mission in FY05.  Since then, additional missions at GSFC, labs at other NASA centers, and other government agencies have been using and testing the GMSEC software. Furthermore, collaboration has been ongoing with government agencies, vendors, and contractors. Some missions include: TRMM, Terra, ST5, SDO, SMEX (SAMPEX, SWAS, WIRE, and TRACE), and GPM.

8.    How do I install the GMSEC software?

The open source version installation and/or building is described above. For the government release version, there is an Integrated Installation Wizard that should be used.

The Integrated Installation Wizard will produce a ‘Finish Panel’ that prompts the user for the option to produce an automatic installation script. The automatic installation script will reproduce the entire installation, including all selected components. Alternatively, if the individual installation jar files are invoked, a finish panel should be provided for EACH of the components, affording you the opportunity to create an individual automated installation file.