Participation in development of generic mission control system software
Latest technologies for monitoring and controlling space missions
Project duration: 2005 to 2008
Project manager: Helena Kalenská
The project SCOS-2000 Advanced Monitoring comprised ANF DATA participating in two international activities: Advanced Monitoring for a Modern Generic Mission Control System and Consolidation of the Advanced Telemetry Monitoring Subsystem. Both of these activities were performed in cooperation with Siemens Austria and Siemens Hungary.
The objective of the project was to exploit new technologies for monitoring and visualization subsystems of the ESA mission control system SCOS-2000 and to apply the outcome of the analyses to demonstration prototypes in the context of the new European Ground Operation Software architecture (EGOS). In frame of this project ANF DATA participated in the following four tasks:
CORBA based Packet Distribution Prototype
The goal here was to analyze the existing TCP/IP data packet distribution in SCOS-2000, and to implement a prototype in which the native TCP/IP packet distribution is replaced by CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture).
Command Supervisor (CS)
CS is a new SCOS-2000 subsystem which enables operators to monitor all commanding activities, regardless whether they are located on or off-site. The CS server collects data from the SCOS-2000 command sources, and transfers them via CORBA to CS clients. A CS client displays requested commanding data and also enables operations such as filtering and sorting. This subsystem was developed by ANF DATA to address the needs and specifications of operators who use SCOS-2000 in DLR.
EGOS Data Transfer Library (DTL)
DTL is a new software library for transfer of structured data in a word size (32/64) neutral and platform independent way. DTL enables data distribution via TCP/IP from a single provider to multiple consumers, as well as data reception from several sources in parallel. UDP based multicast/broadcast is also supported. Data distribution can be either in the so-called timely mode, where data older than a given age is automatically discarded, or in complete mode which ensures all data is delivered. DTL is designed in a generic way so that it can be tailored to specific transfer data units and can be easily extended for new data types, without the need to write additional code.
EGOS Data Management Library (DML)
DML is a new software library intended for the management of telemetry and telecommand data received from EGOS applications in the form of annotated data stream, frames, and packets. ANF DATA’s task was to implement the telecommand related part.
ANF DATA
ANF DATA is a subsidiary of Siemens AG Austria and from January 2007 also a part of Siemens IT Solutions and Services and Corporate Technology.
ANF DATA provides a complete range of services – design of software solutions, hardware installation, system integration, application support, maintenance and evolution of installed solutions, company organization and IT consulting, customer training … - and products in the field of Information technologies with focus on the banking sector, insurance industry, health service, administration, telecommunications, and transport.
Since 1998 ANF DATA cooperates with Siemens Austria on development of Ground Segment software and hardware for the European Space Agency (ESA), German Space Agency (DLR), and for the European navigation system Galileo.
In the frame of the PECS programme ANF DATA has participated in three international projects aimed at the use of state of the art technologies in ESA’s monitoring, control and information systems.
What would you name as main benefits of the project to you and your company?
“The SCOS-2000 Advanced Monitoring was our first project in the frame of the PECS programme. During the project we became familiar with the processes and tools used by ESA for Ground Segment activities – project management, format and volume of required documentation, project reviews, test procedures, system validation and verification, format of deliveries, etc. Another significant benefit was establishing contacts with people at ESA, along with the opportunity to prove that we have the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary for future cooperation with ESA.”