Developing application frameworks for mission-critical software: Using space applications as an example.

In this research note the key results from the Space2000/sw project are presented. The main goal of the project was to evaluate and adapt modern software methodologies for mission-critical applications using space software as an example. This report introduces an outline for a set of object- and component-oriented software development activities for mission-critical software using the on-board control software of X-ray spectrometers as an example. The approach emphasises the use of software architectures, design patterns and application frameworks. Modern real-time software methodologies consist of an integrated set of methods, CASE tools and informal, semi-formal and formal description techniques. The CASE tools support the simulation and validation of formal design models and components as well as automatic generation of target code from the design models. This report introduces an evaluation framework for such methodologies. The framework includes a hierarchical set of criteria that emphasises the development needs of mission-critical space software. The evaluation framework was used in the evaluations of real-time software methodologies. The evaluations are described in this report. The evaluated methodologies are based on OMT (Object Modelling Technique), MSC (Message Sequence Charts), statecharts and SDL (Specification and Description Language) notations. This report also includes a study of product data management (PDM) in the context of mission-critical applications using space applications as an example.