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Development of tools that include the STP theorem poer and its associated Design Verification Systems; PHIL, a meta-programmable context sensitive structured editor; Pegasus, a system for support of graphical programming; and OBJ, an ultra high level programming language based on rewrite rules and abstract data type is reported.
The Exascale Computing Project (ECP) Software Technology and Co-Design teams addressed the growing complexities in high-performance computing (HPC) by developing scalable software libraries and tools that leverage exascale system capabilities. As we enter the exascale era, the need for reusable, optimized software solutions that can handle the unique challenges posed by these systems becomes increasingly important. The primary challenges the ECP teams faced were to create software libraries and tools that are performant on exascale architectures and portable and usable across diverse hardware platforms. Efforts addressed issues related to concurrent execution, memory management, and the integration of heterogeneous computing resources, such as GPUs from multiple vendors. The ECP’s strategy involved a structured development process encompassing the creation, optimization, and deployment of software in collaboration with industry, academia, and national laboratories. The project was organized into several technical areas: co-design of domain-specific suites with target applications, programming models and runtimes, development tools, mathematical libraries, data and visualization tools, and software ecosystem and delivery mechanisms. ECP has successfully developed a large portfolio of software libraries and tools that demonstrate significant improvements in performance and scalability on exascale systems. These products have been integrated into the Department of Energy’s computing facilities, supporting various scientific applications and ensuring robust performance across different hardware setups. ECP advancements in software development for exascale computing highlight the importance of a collaborative and adaptive approach to handling next-generation HPC systems complexities. The lessons learned emphasize the need for continuous engagement with end-users and vendors, and the importance of maintaining a balance between innovation and practical implementation. Future efforts will focus on ensuring scalability, keeping pace with rapid hardware advancements, and further enhancing the interoperability and usability of the software ecosystem. In conclusion, subsequent articles in this special issue provide in-depth discussions and case studies into specific library and tool efforts.
The state of the art in the production of crucial software for flight control applications was addressed. The association between reliability metrics and software is considered. Thirteen software development projects are discussed. A short term need for research in the areas of tool development and software fault tolerance was indicated. For the long term, research in format verification or proof methods was recommended. Formal specification and software reliability modeling, were recommended as topics for both short and long term research.
NREL has developed a software tool to enable Renewance to estimate the degradation of batteries from basic information such as the type of battery and the application of that battery during its first life, so that used batteries may be evaluated for potential repurposing at low cost. This software tool utilizes NREL's BLAST-Lite battery degradation modeling code, which was updated with additional models for commercially produced lithium-ion batteries as a part of this CRADA. The software tool enables users to input details such as battery type and application so that lifetime estimates can be made without any programming or expert battery knowledge. The application input loads in saved values for parameters such as cycles per year, depth-of-discharge, and other battery operating parameters from a file defined by Renewance. These parameters may be modified to refine simulations for specific batteries. The software tool also incorporates a degradation model optimization tool, whereby existing battery degradation models may be tuned according to measured battery health. This ensures that new models still predict degradation behaviors expected from a certain battery chemistry, but with the overall degradation rate tuned to a specific battery make and model. The new model can then be saved for estimating the degradation of other similar batteries. An additional task was planned to utilize machine-learning to enable battery health diagnosis from rapid EIS measurements to accelerate the screening of used batteries. This task was not completed due to lack of available data for training a machine-learning model. CRADA benefit to DOE, Participant, and US Taxpayer: Further development of open-source software tool BLAST-Lite for predicting the lifetime of commercially produced Lithium-ion batteries (NREL SWR-22-69).
The HEASARC is developing a package of general purpose software for analyzing data files in FITS format. This paper describes the design philosophy which makes the software both machine-independent (it runs on VAXs, Suns, and DEC-stations) and software environment-independent. Currently the software can be compiled and linked to produce IRAF tasks, or alternatively, the same source code can be used to generate stand-alone tasks using one of two implementations of a user-parameter interface library. The machine independence of the software is achieved by writing the source code in ANSI standard Fortran or C, using the machine-independent FITSIO subroutine interface for all data file I/O, and using a standard user-parameter subroutine interface for all user I/O. The latter interface is based on the Fortran IRAF Parameter File interface developed at STScI. The IRAF tasks are built by linking to the IRAF implementation of this parameter interface library. Two other implementations of this parameter interface library, which have no IRAF dependencies, are now available which can be used to generate stand-alone executable tasks. These stand-alone tasks can simply be executed from the machine operating system prompt either by supplying all the task parameters on the command line or by entering the task name after which the user will be prompted for any required parameters. A first release of this FTOOLS package is now publicly available. The currently available tasks are described, along with instructions on how to obtain a copy of the software.
Ground systems operations at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Payload Operations and Integration Center (POIC) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) recently increased via a High Operations Tempo (HOT) initiative, in order to support more science activities with a fourth crew member on the International Space Station (ISS). The Flight Control Team's (FCT) need to support this increasing pace of payload science operations was the impetus for creating a series of new tools. While their need was clear, the full scope and user experience for each tool was not as well-understood, thus establishing a fixed set of initial requirements was not feasible. A hybridized Agile Software Development (ASD) paradigm was created to take advantage of this uncertainty, plan for it, permit the exploration of novel concepts, and also facilitate a rapid and flexible response to inevitably changing requirements. The POIC's hybridized ASD approach places preeminent focus on providing customer value through the delivery of high quality, customer-focused solutions in short timeframes. This has been successfully achieved through creating unprecedented modes of cooperation and collaboration between operations and software development teams, frequent user evaluations of the software with well-defined feedback mechanisms, increased human factors involvement, and a dedication to successful outcomes by the whole of the POIC. Since space science operations and software development are not typically so closely linked, this paper discusses an approach that offers an optimal way to provide an increased return on investment and a faster time-to-completion than traditional software development paradigms, while aiming at delivering high quality products and customer-driven value.
The toolset of an Ada Programming Support Environment (APSE) being developed at North American Aircraft Operations (NAAO) of Rockwell International, is described. The APSE is resident on three different hosts and must support developments for the hosts and for embedded targets. Tools and developed software must be freely portable between the hosts. The toolset includes the usual editors, compilers, linkers, debuggers, configuration magnagers, and documentation tools. Generally, these are being supplied by the host computer vendors. Other tools, for example, pretty printer, cross referencer, compilation order tool, and management tools were obtained from public-domain sources, are implemented in Ada and are being ported to the hosts. Several tools being implemented in-house are of interest, these include an Ada Design Language processor based on compilable Ada. A Standalone Test Environment Generator facilitates test tool construction and partially automates unit level testing. A Code Auditor/Static Analyzer permits the Ada programs to be evaluated against measures of quality. An Ada Comment Box Generator partially automates generation of header comment boxes.
Transients in the solar coronal magnetic field are ultimately the source of space weather. Models which seek to track the evolution of the coronal field require magnetogram images to be used as boundary conditions. These magnetograms are obtained by numerous instruments with different cadences and resolutions. A tool is required which allows modelers to fmd all available data and use them to craft accurate and physically consistent boundary conditions for their models. We have developed a software tool, MAGIC (MAGnetogram Interpolation and Composition), to perform exactly this function. MAGIC can manage the acquisition of magneto gram data, cast it into a source-independent format, and then perform the necessary spatial and temporal interpolation to provide magnetic field values as requested onto model-defined grids. MAGIC has the ability to patch magneto grams from different sources together providing a more complete picture of the Sun's field than is possible from single magneto grams. In doing this, care must be taken so as not to introduce nonphysical current densities along the seam between magnetograms. We have designed a method which minimizes these spurious current densities. MAGIC also includes a number of post-processing tools which can provide additional information to models. For example, MAGIC includes an interface to the DA VE4VM tool which derives surface flow velocities from the time evolution of surface magnetic field. MAGIC has been developed as an application of the KAMELEON data formatting toolkit which has been developed by the CCMC.
We developed simple mathematical models for many of the technologies constituting the water reclamation system in a space station. These models were employed for subsystem optimization and for the evaluation of the performance of individual water reclamation technologies, by quantifying their operational 'cost' as a linear function of weight, volume, and power consumption. Then we performed preliminary investigations on the performance improvements attainable by simple hybrid systems involving parallel combinations of technologies. We are developing a software tool for synthesizing a hybrid water recovery system (WRS) for long term space missions. As conceptual framework, we are employing the state space approach. Given a number of available technologies and the mission specifications, the state space approach would help design flowsheets featuring optimal process configurations, including those that feature stream connections in parallel, series, or recycles. We visualize this software tool to function as follows: given the mission duration, the crew size, water quality specifications, and the cost coefficients, the software will synthesize a water recovery system for the space station. It should require minimal user intervention. The following tasks need to be solved for achieving this goal: (1) formulate a problem statement that will be used to evaluate the advantages of a hybrid WRS over a single technology WBS; (2) model several WRS technologies that can be employed in the space station; (3) propose a recycling network design methodology (since the WRS synthesis task is a recycling network design problem, it is essential to employ a systematic method in synthesizing this network); (4) develop a software implementation for this design methodology, design a hybrid system using this software, and compare the resulting WRS with a base-case WRS; and (5) create a user-friendly interface for this software tool.
USAID/E-CAM and EGAT's Global Climate Change Team, in partnership with EPA, NASA, Oak Ridge National Lab, and the Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD), have had a significant impact on the region's ability to monitor, mitigate, and adapt to environmental threats. Environmental decision-making tools and data are posted on a website (SERVIR: http://servir.nsstc.nasa.pov/home.html)that provides satellite and geographic data and maps to anybody with an Internet connection. The SERVIR program has been identified as the model for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) - a major international effort to develop a 21st century system for environmental management and disaster response. In coordination with the USAID/EPA program, NASA has developed a GIs tool that enables countries to examine their forest cover and document changes on an annual basis. This information is used in calculating carbon emissions as part of greenhouse gas inventories, but also serves a valuable monitoring function. In addition, USAID/E-CAM and EGAT's Global Climate Change Team in collaboration with EPA are helping countries meet their obligations as signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). EPA is assisting Central American governments to improve the quality of their greenhouse gas emission inventories reported to the UNFCCC through the development of tools and improvements in data quality. New EPA tools developed include software to automatically calculate greenhouse gas emissions for the agricultural and forestry sector inventories, determine key sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and document institutional arrangements. Several of these tools are state of the art and are comparable to tools currently used in the U.S.
A software tool was developed for predicting the size of a future computer program at an early stage in its development. The system is intended to enable a user who is not expert in Software Engineering to estimate software size in lines of source code with an accuracy similar to that of an expert, based on the program's functional specifications. The project was planned as a knowledge based system with a field prototype as the goal of Phase 2 and a commercial system planned for Phase 3. The researchers used techniques from Artificial Intelligence and knowledge from human experts and existing software from NASA's COSMIC database. They devised a classification scheme for the software specifications, and a small set of generic software components that represent complexity and apply to large classes of programs. The specifications are converted to generic components by a set of rules and the generic components are input to a nonlinear sizing function which makes the final prediction. The system developed for this project predicted code sizes from the database with a bias factor of 1.06 and a fluctuation factor of 1.77, an accuracy similar to that of human experts but without their significant optimistic bias.
The unique demands of rotorcraft aeromechanics analysis have led to the development of software tools that are described as comprehensive analyses. The next generation of rotorcraft comprehensive analyses will be driven and enabled by the tremendous capabilities of high performance computing, particularly modular and scaleable software executed on multiple cores. Development of a comprehensive analysis based on high performance computing both demands and permits a new analysis architecture. This paper describes a vision of the requirements for this next generation of comprehensive analyses of rotorcraft. The requirements are described and substantiated for what must be included and justification provided for what should be excluded. With this guide, a path to the next generation code can be found.
A software program and associated methodology to study gust loading on aircraft exists for a classification of geometrically simplified flexible configurations. This program consists of a simple aircraft response model with two rigid and three flexible symmetric degrees-of - freedom and allows for the calculation of various airplane responses due to a discrete one-minus- cosine gust as well as continuous turbulence. Simplifications, assumptions, and opportunities for potential improvements pertaining to the existing software program are first identified, then a revised version of the original software tool is developed with improved methodology to include more complex geometries, additional excitation cases, and additional output data so as to provide a more useful and precise tool for gust load analysis. In order to improve the original software program to enhance usefulness, a wing control surface and horizontal tail control surface is added, an extended application of the discrete one-minus-cosine gust input is employed, a supplemental continuous turbulence spectrum is implemented, and a capability to animate the total vehicle deformation response to gust inputs is included. These revisions and enhancements are implemented and an analysis of the results is used to validate the modifications.
It is becoming increasingly evident that, in order to optimize the observing efficiency of large telescopes, some changes will be required in the way observations are planned and executed. Not all observing programs require the presence of the astronomer at the telescope: for those programs which permit service observing it is possible to better match planned observations to conditions at the telescope. This concept of flexible scheduling has been proposed for the VLT: based on current and predicted environmental and instrumental observations which make the most efficient possible use of valuable time. A similar kind of observation scheduling is already necessary for some space observatories, such as Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Space Telescope Science Institute is presently developing scheduling tools for HST, based on the use of artificial intelligence software development techniques. These tools could be readily adapted for ground-based telescope scheduling since they address many of the same issues. The concept are described on which the HST tools are based, their implementation, and what would be required to adapt them for use with the VLT and other ground-based observatories.
Experiences in measurement, utilization, and evaluation of software methodologies, models, and tools are discussed. NASA's involvement in ever larger and more complex systems, like the space station project, provides a motive for the support of software engineering research and the exchange of ideas in such forums. The topics of current SEL research are software error studies, experiments with software development, and software tools.
The International Space Station (ISS) Operations Planning Team, Mission Control Centre and Mission Automation Support Network (MAS) have all evolved over the years to use commercial web-based technologies to create a configurable electronic infrastructure to manage the complex network of real-time planning, crew scheduling, resource and activity management as well as onboard document and procedure management required to co-ordinate ISS assembly, daily operations and mission support. While these Web technologies are classified as non-critical in nature, their use is part of an essential backbone of daily operations on the ISS and allows the crew to operate the ISS as a functioning science laboratory. The rapid evolution of the internet from 1998 (when ISS assembly began) to today, along with the nature of continuous manned operations in space, have presented a unique challenge in terms of software engineering and system development. In addition, the use of a wide array of competing internet technologies (including commercial technologies such as .NET and JAVA ) and the special requirements of having to support this network, both nationally among various control centres for International Partners (IPs), as well as onboard the station itself, have created special challenges for the MCC Web Tools Development Team, software engineers and flight controllers, who implement and maintain this system. This paper presents an overview of some of these operational challenges, and the evolving nature of the solutions and the future use of COTS based rich internet technologies in manned space flight operations. In particular this paper will focus on the use of Microsoft.s .NET API to develop Web-Based Operational tools, the use of XML based service oriented architectures (SOA) that needed to be customized to support Mission operations, the maintenance of a Microsoft IIS web server onboard the ISS, The OpsLan, functional-oriented Web Design with AJAX
A software program and associated methodology to study gust loading on aircraft exists for a classification of geometrically simplified flexible configurations. This program consists of a simple aircraft response model with two rigid and three flexible symmetric degrees of freedom and allows for the calculation of various airplane responses due to a discrete one-minus-cosine gust as well as continuous turbulence. Simplifications, assumptions, and opportunities for potential improvements pertaining to the existing software program are first identified, then a revised version of the original software tool is developed with improved methodology to include more complex geometries, additional excitation cases, and output data so as to provide a more useful and accurate tool for gust load analysis. Revisions are made in the categories of aircraft geometry, computation of aerodynamic forces and moments, and implementation of horizontal tail mode shapes. In order to improve the original software program to enhance usefulness, a wing control surface and horizontal tail control surface is added, an extended application of the discrete one-minus-cosine gust input is employed, a supplemental continuous turbulence spectrum is implemented, and a capability to animate the total vehicle deformation response to gust inputs in included. These revisions and enhancements are implemented and an analysis of the results is used to validate the modifications.
Objective: Describe and up-date progress for NASA's efforts to develop 3D architectural design tools for CMC in general and for SIC/SiC composites in particular. Describe past and current sequential work efforts aimed at: Understanding key fiber and tow physical characteristics in conventional 2D and 3D woven architectures as revealed by microstructures in the literature. Developing an Excel program for down-selecting and predicting key geometric properties and resulting key fiber-controlled properties for various conventional 3D architectures. Developing a software tool for accurately visualizing all the key geometric details of conventional 3D architectures. Validating tools by visualizing and predicting the Internal geometry and key mechanical properties of a NASA SIC/SIC panel with a 3D orthogonal architecture. Applying the predictive and visualization tools toward advanced 3D orthogonal SiC/SIC composites, and combining them into a user-friendly software program.