Formal verification of a space system's user Interface with the IVY workbench

This paper describes the application of the IVY workbench to the formal analysis of a user interface for a safety-critical aerospace system. The operation manual of the system was used as a requirement document, and this made it possible to build a reference model of the user interface, focusing on navigation between displays, the information provided by each display, and how they are interrelated. Usability-related property specification patterns were then used to derive relevant properties for verification. This paper discusses both the modeling strategy and the analytical results found using the IVY workbench. The purpose of the reference model is to provide a standard against which future versions of the interface may be assessed.EPSRC - Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council(EP/G059063/1)This work was partly funded by project ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000062, co-financed by the North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (ON.2 O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by national funds, through the Portuguese foundation for science and technology (FCT)

TLC Year in Review

With contributions by Matthew Schehl, Shona Dunn, Ali Rodgers, Betsy Wallace, Miriam Bergue Alves, Michael Guerrero, Aileen B. Houston, Cheryldee Huddleston, Leo Blanken and Cecilia Panella, and a forward by Scott Bischoff, Dennis Lester, and Tom Rosko

Bringing together space systems engineering and software engineering processes based on standards and best practices

The growing complexity of the current space systems results an increasing responsibility for the software embedded in them. This is particularly significant when the systems are employed for space critical missions. Usually the software has rigid real time requirements to fulfil which demands high reliability and a disciplined development process.This paper relates the effort of defining a set of software development processes for the on-board computer flight control software (SOAB), a component of the Brazilian Satellite Launcher (VLS), developed by the Instituto de Aeronautica e Espaco IAE. To achieve the strict requirements for space missions, the SOAB development teams degree of maturity and technological proficiency had to harmonize with a well defined software evelopment processes integrated into the systems engineering. Furthermore, these processes definition had to consider international space systems engineering standards and standards of quality established by IAE. Best practices in software engineering were considered as well.Pages: 155-16

Designing Education Programs based on Competencies using Advanced Analytical Methods

Prepared for: OPNAV N711, Navy Education Strategy and Policy Branch. This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). NRP Project NPS-23-N186-AWe propose an innovative framework leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for the creation and assessment of outcome-based education (OBE) programs, particularly those with interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary aspects, emphasizing the importance of students’ learning outcomes (LOs) as it interrelates with competencies. The primary aim is to empower educational institutions to swiftly adapt to competency demands. The framework enables timely strategic adjustments within educational programs, aligning them with the dynamic higher education landscape driven by emerging technologies and the need for upskilling. It comprises two core components: the Structured Data Model and the AI-Assisted component. The Structured Data Model systematically organizes educational program elements, creating a database that supports advanced queries, facilitating the identification and incorporation of changes within programs. The AI-Assisted component uses natural language processing (NLP) techniques to classify competencies within existing educational offering with measurable accuracy. We defined the framework's strategic objectives considering four different, although interrelated, perspectives: Data, AI-Model, Classification, and Recommendation, which will serve as a reference for future implementation of this framework as an operative system. We also conducted a comprehensive case study using the NPS educational model, applying the framework to assess its value and effectiveness. Four AI-based classifiers were examined, set to classify intended LOs into existing NPS curricula. The classification results were promising, with one of the AI models reaching approximately 70% accuracy on test dataset predictions, demonstrating the feasibility and potential benefits of this type of AI application for DOD education and training institutions. Our intention is to offer a systematic and reliable process for addressing new competency needs while adapting to evolving education and institutional requirements, combining human decision-making with AI-driven method.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098)Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program; OPNAV N711, Navy Education Strategy and Policy Branc

The management of knowledge and technologies in a space program

This paper presents an ongoing work at the Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE) to provide a process and a system to support the management of knowledge and new technologies applied to the conception and development of the Brazilian Satellite Launcher Program. This management is not only necessary to organize the actual research efforts but also to identify communalities and necessities for the strategic planning of future research projects and development activities. The results of the research projects are usually new technologies that ought to be employed in the development of the Launcher Program. The proposed knowledge management system will not only enable assessing these new technologies but also help in defining and planning the research topics in each important area of this multidisciplinary program, according to the Institute’s strategic goals and space mission

Applying UML-based Formal Specification, Validation, and Verification to Space Flight Control System and Defense Software

This report presents the process and results of a formal computer-aided Specification, Validation and Verification (SV&V) of two mission and safety critical projects: the Brazilian Satellite Launcher flight software, and the Department of Defense's Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) controller. The Specification, Validation, and Verification (SV&V) process begins with a system requirement analysis and Natural Language (NL) specification. UML statechart-formal specification assertions are then created using the StateRover SV&V specification environment; these assertions formally capture the NL requirements. The assertions are validated against the NL and cognitive requirements using JUnit-based testing within the StateRover SV&V environment. Finally, Runtime Verification (RV) is performed on the target system under test (SUT). The RV phase is based on log files created by automatically instrumenting source code files, building and executing them on the VxWorks-based target thereby creating log files, importing resulting log files into the StateRover SV&V environment and executing them as JUnit tests against the assertions.Graduate School of Operational and Information SciencesApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

End-to-end formal specification, validation and verification process: a case study of space flight software

The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JSYST.2012.2220591The quality of requirements and the effectiveness of verification and validation (V&V) techniques in guaranteeing that a final system reflects its established requirements have a direct influence on the quality and dependability of the delivered system. The V&V process can be efficient from a managerial point of view, but ineffective from a technical perspective, and vice versa. This paper presents an end-to-end formal computer-aided specification, validation, and verification (SV&V) process, whose feasibility and effectiveness were evaluated against the flight software for the Brazilian Satellite Launcher. Unified modeling language (UML) statechart assertions, scenario-based validation, and runtime verification are used to formally specify and verify the system, and metrics of the ongoing process and its V&V results are collected during the application of the process. The results of the case study indicate that the process and its computer-aided environment were both technically feasible to apply and managerially effective, will likely scale well to cater to SV&V of mission-critical systems that have a larger number of behavioral requirements, and can be used for V&V in a distributed development environment