Session
Technical Session VIII: Frank J. Redd Student Scholarship Competition
Abstract
Software design and development often presents a high-risk element during the execution of engineering projects due to devaluation of possible conflicts or identifying defects during late stages of development. Many defects identified during the late stages of small spacecraft development can be avoided by constructing interactive, dynamic models. This process is often followed for hardware fabrication/test, but often not to the same extent for software. An alternative process to the typical software development is needed that enables modeling and simulation feedback at early design stages. Petri nets allow for software visualization, simulation and verification in a cost-effective way. An alternative software modeling approach using Petri nets is presented to rapidly design, develop and verify/validate small spacecraft software. Using the presented techniques, the Missouri University of Science and Technology Satellite Research Team successfully demonstrated core functionality of their software system at the Final Concept Review (FCR) of AFRL’s University Nanosat Program’s Nanosat-7 Competition.
Presentation Slides
Small Spacecraft Software Modeling: A Petri Net-Based Approach
Software design and development often presents a high-risk element during the execution of engineering projects due to devaluation of possible conflicts or identifying defects during late stages of development. Many defects identified during the late stages of small spacecraft development can be avoided by constructing interactive, dynamic models. This process is often followed for hardware fabrication/test, but often not to the same extent for software. An alternative process to the typical software development is needed that enables modeling and simulation feedback at early design stages. Petri nets allow for software visualization, simulation and verification in a cost-effective way. An alternative software modeling approach using Petri nets is presented to rapidly design, develop and verify/validate small spacecraft software. Using the presented techniques, the Missouri University of Science and Technology Satellite Research Team successfully demonstrated core functionality of their software system at the Final Concept Review (FCR) of AFRL’s University Nanosat Program’s Nanosat-7 Competition.
