A Model for a Spacecraft Operations Language

Abstract

T HE purpose of this paper is to report on the work being done to define a Spacecraft Operations Language Metamodel. This work was performed in response to a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued in June 2005 by the Object Management Group (OMG). Research has been conducted to show that standardizing on a spacecraft operations language will result in significant cost savings to spacecraft development and operations. 1 A model or metamodel of a spacecraft operations language is the basis for this standardization.A metamodel is used to describe the common elements of a language or other entity. A Spacecraft Operations Language Metamodel describes the common elements of a spacecraft procedure language, which is used to control and monitor spacecraft. This metamodel is then mapped to existing spacecraft procedure languages such as Spacecraft Test and Operations Language (STOL), Procedure Language for Users in Test and Operations (PLUTO), OS/COMET ® Control Language (CCL), and Command Interface Language (CIL). We can then enable tools that convert from one language to another, or allow procedure coding (either textual or graphical) in a standard environment to produce equivalent procedure files in multiple languages.In addition, the metamodel will map to the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) Telemetry and Command Exchange (XTCE), a format that has been adopted by the OMG for standardizing on spacecraft telemetry and command definitions.This paper describes a Spacecraft Operations Language Metamodel as defined by the authors and shows its mapping to two specific spacecraft procedure languages, CCL and STOL, as well as its implementation in standard off the shelf tools.

A satellite monitor system based on behavior-prediction

“…To monitor the operation procedure effectively, researchers from universities, enterprises and space agencies provided many methods and solutions for real-time operation [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. In general, there are three main methods applied in practice: manual judgment, command-based judgment, and expert system.…”

“…In the command database, there are descriptions which show the changes of certain telemetries corresponding to every command. That is a very basic function in satellite control centers [2,4,5,7]. However, this approach has some limitations.…”

Dealing with variability within a family of domain-specific languages: comparative analysis of different techniques

“…The objectives of such a metamodel are detailed in [8] and range from making less expensive the transfer of a satellite from one ground system to another (each of these using their own proprietary languages, which often differ), to increasing the interoperability between ground systems. The rational of having such a meta-model are detailed in [8]. This meta-model would give an instrument to describe an entire domain, practically leading to a kind of unifying language for spacecraft operations descriptions.…”

“…This solution corresponds precisely to an OMG initiative for defining a meta-model for spacecraft operations [24]. The objectives of such a metamodel are detailed in [8] and range from making less expensive the transfer of a satellite from one ground system to another (each of these using their own proprietary languages, which often differ), to increasing the interoperability between ground systems. The rational of having such a meta-model are detailed in [8].…”

Automated generation of program translation and verification tools using annotated grammars

“…These systems solve part of the problem by allowing operators to design and edit procedures in many OLs. However, these systems lack a generic feature that allows us to safely translate the existing procedures written in one OL to the syntax of another [5]. This obviously impedes efficient cooperation between operators or mission control centres.…”