Session
Technical Poster Session 3
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
NASA’s core Flight System (cFS) is an open-source flight software framework that runs successful space missions. However, even with growing adoption, cFS can have a challenging learning curve and incomplete documentation. Our new Base Camp toolkit is a new open-source approach developed to help remedy these problems for cFS applications.
Base Camp combines NASA Glenn Research Center’s cFS Electronic Data Sheet (EDS) toolchain and refactored components from the author’s OpenSatKit (OSK) to provide a lightweight, portable, python-based toolkit. This toolkit allows users to graphically interact with a cFS target running an OSK Runtime App Suite that provides essential functionality like command ingest, telemetry output, file transfer, and onboard file management. EDS is a Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) standard that is used to define app interfaces. The Base Camp toolchain uses EDS to automatically generate artifacts for the python ground system. This model enables automated app integration and provides the infrastructure for a cFS community app exchange. The Runtime App Suite is compatible with NASA’s cFS Caelum, the same cFS version used by the NASA Artemis Gateway program.
Base Camp is a parallel effort with OpenSatKit. OpenSatKit goes further by combining Ball Aerospace’s COSMOS ground system, NASA’s cFS, and NASA’s 42 dynamic simulator to create an end-to-end cFS-based reference system. And it includes 20+ preconfigured applications. While helpful to users whose goal is a cFS-based space mission, OSK’s complexity can be daunting for user’s who have much simpler goals, such as a cFS-based STEM educational project.
Base Camp comes preconfigured with an app suite that facilitates cFS education. From there, OSK apps have been moved to individual git repositories allowing users to decide which apps to integrate into their Base Camp project. Base Camp also includes tools that generate Hello World apps and tutorials that step students through a series of lessons that teach more advanced cFS features. These tutorials have been successfully used for virtual training classes, in-person training classes, and for independent learning. Educators can use Base Camp or step advanced students up to OSK, either of which can run on low-cost Raspberry Pi configurations.
This paper describes Base Camp’s features and illustrates how they allow NASA’s cFS framework to be utilized for flight missions as well as STEM education. Base Camp allows students to develop skills and apply them to meet their educational needs that will transfer into marketable skills as they enter the technical workplace.
Making Space for NASA's Core Flight System Applications
Utah State University, Logan, UT
NASA’s core Flight System (cFS) is an open-source flight software framework that runs successful space missions. However, even with growing adoption, cFS can have a challenging learning curve and incomplete documentation. Our new Base Camp toolkit is a new open-source approach developed to help remedy these problems for cFS applications.
Base Camp combines NASA Glenn Research Center’s cFS Electronic Data Sheet (EDS) toolchain and refactored components from the author’s OpenSatKit (OSK) to provide a lightweight, portable, python-based toolkit. This toolkit allows users to graphically interact with a cFS target running an OSK Runtime App Suite that provides essential functionality like command ingest, telemetry output, file transfer, and onboard file management. EDS is a Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) standard that is used to define app interfaces. The Base Camp toolchain uses EDS to automatically generate artifacts for the python ground system. This model enables automated app integration and provides the infrastructure for a cFS community app exchange. The Runtime App Suite is compatible with NASA’s cFS Caelum, the same cFS version used by the NASA Artemis Gateway program.
Base Camp is a parallel effort with OpenSatKit. OpenSatKit goes further by combining Ball Aerospace’s COSMOS ground system, NASA’s cFS, and NASA’s 42 dynamic simulator to create an end-to-end cFS-based reference system. And it includes 20+ preconfigured applications. While helpful to users whose goal is a cFS-based space mission, OSK’s complexity can be daunting for user’s who have much simpler goals, such as a cFS-based STEM educational project.
Base Camp comes preconfigured with an app suite that facilitates cFS education. From there, OSK apps have been moved to individual git repositories allowing users to decide which apps to integrate into their Base Camp project. Base Camp also includes tools that generate Hello World apps and tutorials that step students through a series of lessons that teach more advanced cFS features. These tutorials have been successfully used for virtual training classes, in-person training classes, and for independent learning. Educators can use Base Camp or step advanced students up to OSK, either of which can run on low-cost Raspberry Pi configurations.
This paper describes Base Camp’s features and illustrates how they allow NASA’s cFS framework to be utilized for flight missions as well as STEM education. Base Camp allows students to develop skills and apply them to meet their educational needs that will transfer into marketable skills as they enter the technical workplace.
