SPACECRAFT DATABASE STANDARDISATION: AN OMG INITIATIVE

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SPACECRAFT DATABASE STANDARDISATION AN OMG
INITIATIVE

• Mario Merri - ESA/ESOC
• Roger Thompson - Science Systems (Space) Ltd.
• Janice Champion - Boeing Satellite Systems
• Gerry Simon - Lockheed Martin, USAF SMC Det 12 VO
• Peter Shames - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Mike Rackley NASA/GSFC
• Jim Wetherbee - OMG Space Domain Task Force

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Agenda

• Introduction
• The need of spacecraft database standardisation
• Approach to work
• Packaging database
• Telemetry database
• Command database
• Conclusions

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Object Management Group (OMG) and Space

• OMG
• Founded in April 1989
• international not-for-profit software consortium
  aiming at setting standards in the area of
  distributed object computing
• Vendor-neutral membership-driven organisation
• About 800 members
• Fast track standardisation process
• More at http//www.omg.org
• OMG Space Domain Task Force (DTF)
• Established in September of 2000
• Aimed at fostering the emergence of cost
  effective, timely, commercially available and
  interoperable space, satellite and ground system
  domain software components through object
  technology
• More at http//space.omg.org

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Space DTF Main Activities

• Developed reference architecture
• More at http//space.omg.org/ReferenceArchitecture
  .htm
• Produced Requests for Proposals
• RFP-1 Telemetric and Command Data Specification
• RFP-2 Monitor and Control Data Access
• Evaluated submissions to RFP-1

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TM/TC Data Exchange
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RFP-1 Problem Statement

• TM and TC definitions must be exchanged
• within/across organisations
• within across systems
• but
• single mission supported by different systems and
  organisations
• multiple heterogeneous missions supported by
  common ground segment infrastructure
• implying that TM and TC exchange
• is difficult, costly and error-prone
• requires custom translation and ingestion of the
  TM and TC data
• requires revalidation at each step
• Solution
• transparent transition from one ground system to
  another
• standardization of the TM and TC data definition
  format

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RFP-1 Objectives

• Standardised information model for TM data
  definitions
• Allow exchange of TM/TC Definitions
• between Mission Phases
• between Organisations
• between Systems
• without need for re-implementation or
  re-validation
• Broad Scope within Space Data Systems
• All Phases of Mission Lifecycle
• All Segments of Mission Infrastructure
  (Spacecraft, Payload Ground)
• Limited to Definition and not Transfer of TM/TC
  data
• As Inclusive as Possible
• Support Legacy Missions
• Support Existing Standards
• Extensible Mission Specific and Future Standards

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RFP-1 Status

• 3 submissions received describing in XML the
  current structure of their Telemetry and Command
  databases
• European Space Agency (ESA)
• Boeing
• Lockheed Martin
• Agreed way forward merge forces and work towards
  a single, combined, XML-based, response
• NASA/GSFC and JPL support single submission
• Organisation-specific software to be used to
  convert from the generic format to its own
  specific one

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Approach to RFP-1 Integration

• The submission integration work was split as
  follows
• Boeing Telemetry
• Lockheed Martin Command, Stream and Algorithm
• ESA Packaging
• NASA (GSFC JPL) Analysis and review
• Coordination by e-mail, telecon and (some)
  meetings
• Extremely challenging task
• Different organisations backgrounds and culture
• Different technologies used (e.g. ESA mainly
  CCSDS packet TM/TC, Boeing and Lockheed Martin
  mainly TDM TM/TC)

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Data Description Context
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Packaging Schema
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Telemetry Schema
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Command Schema
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Conclusions

• Standardisation of TM and TC definition is
  possible
• for a broad range of common spacecraft operating
  modes and communication link designs
• for a variety of different signaling and data
  structuring modes (i.e. packetised and TDM data)
  
• for a variety of different commanding approaches
• XML seems to be the right technology
• Organisations might develop tools to convert TM
  and TC definition from the XML common format to
  their own proprietary format
• The eventual publication of this standard will
  provide a common approach for the exchange of
  this data
• significant reduction of cost and risk in
  development and validation expected