Platform Management System (PMS) evolution
In fiscal year 1988 a study was begun to define the platform management system (PMS) functions required for the mature platform operations era. The objectives of the task include: (1) defining how to increase the operational productivity of the platform by providing enhanced capability for responding to changing events, (2) influencing the initial PMS design by identifying required 'hooks and scars', and (3) evaluation potential automation techniques that are appropriate given predicted onboard computing resources. Initial platform operations scenarios were defined. The focus was on PMS-related functions where operations enhancements are likely to occur. Operations productivity was defined in terms of scientific productivity of the platform as well as the level of automation of the ground system. The Platform Operations Productivity Enhancement Report was completed earlier this year documenting system enhancements to increase science productivity and ground system automation. Using the baseline PMS defined in the PMS Definition Document as a starting point, the resulting PMS-specific enhancements were molded into a sequence of progressively more sophisticated operations management capabilities. This sequence of upgrades to the PMS has been documented in a PMS Evolution Plan. The plan includes enhancements in the areas of resources scheduling, resource modeling, system and payload anomaly management, and transaction sequence interpretation. A plan for migration of functions from the ground portion of the PMS to the flight portion is also included. The impacts of this plan on the platform are now being documented to ensure that the required 'hooks and scars' are included in the baseline system. Future plans include a prototype of some of the PMS enhancements to address the feasibility of and techniques for implementing these enhancements in the onboard computing environment.