THE GODDARD Space Flight Center in the USA has developed a new ground-based system, incorporating a new dynamic data visualisation tool called Sammi, to provide remote monitoring and control of spacecraft components in flight.
The Advanced Spacecraft Integration and System Test (ASIST) has been designed to display and monitor spacecraft command and telemetry status, and display test statistics, using graphics.
Users are able to pull up test interfaces or pages, send commands and receive telemetry.
Multiple test engineers at different locations can view the same test data in real time, including analogue and digital variables, telemetry status and alarms.
Spacecraft component and system engineering personnel, as well as instrument designers, are able simultaneously to access unique or common information.
The use of Sammi, developed by US software company Kinesix, provides easy-to-use graphics tools; and, as it is separated from the underlying control system, application development can take place concurrently with user-interface development.
The Goddard Center, in Maryland, is using ASIST in the development of unmanned spacecraft for NASA.
Source: Flight International