Flight planning requirements were analyzed and a computer system architecture was defined. An evaluation method of the proposed flight design system is also included

Folk, R. A.

English

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Produced by the NASA Center for Aerospace Information (CASI) 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19780004156 2020-03-22T06:41:09+00:00Z
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FLIGHT DESIGN SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS EVALUATION PROGRAM
' FINAL REPORT
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` October 7, 1977
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Prepared by: T a• O7cl-^X
R. A. Folk
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R. W. Turner, Task Manager
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Flight Design System Requirements Evaluation Program
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Final Report
4	 NASA CONTRACT NAS-9-14350
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Prepared by
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Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center	 b
Mission Planning and Analysis Division
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Task Background
2. Task Objectives
3. Task Approach
3.1 Subtasks
3.2 Schedules
3.3 Status Reviews
3.4 Financial
4. Task Results
4.1 Architecture Subtask
4.2 Design (Executive PDL) Subtask
4.3 Implementation (Executive Code) Subtask
4.4 Analysis (FDS-II Analysis) Subtask
11.5 Related Task
5. Future Considerations
6. References
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1, Task Background
The Miss_on Planning and Analysis Division ( MPAD) of NASA is responsible
for developing flight plans, performing flight design, for all manned space
flights. Flight Design is the selection or development of time lines for
vehicle trajectories, attitudes, and consumable usage. With the advent of
the Shl.t'tle Transportation System ( STS), studies have shown that the flight
design procedures and support software used for earlier programs ( Gemini,
Apollo, Skylab and ASTP) are not adequate to support the much higher flight
rates anticipated with the Shuttle Program. In addition, the planning;
environment must be standardized to a degree not achieved in the past.
A review of the flight planning tasks indicate the need for new
concepts for performing the flight design function. A computer based system
is needed that exhibits the following characteristics:
o	 Interactive computations
a	 Multiple concurrent user support
o	 Useable by a variety of skill levels
•	 Data Base interface
•	 Launch-through-Landing flight design capability
•	 User control over system function sequences
•	 Independence of individual computational processors via
standardized and generalized interfaces
•	 Independent concurrent development of major components
(processors)
A NASA /IBM effort developed a comprehensive user interface technique and
dialogue which in turn helped to establish detailed user requirements for
such a system. This system is designated the Flight Design System II
(FDS-II).
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Recent advances in computer technology have produced small computers
(mini's) having many of the capabilities of the alder, larger general
purpose computers. As a cost effective measure, NASA determined that this
new technology should be evaluated as a candidate host for FDS-II. Sub-
sequently, IBM was given the task of evaluating the FDS-II requirements in
this area.
n. Task Objectives
The objectives of this task were to support NASA/MPAD to:
1) establish a technique for a computer based, time shared, inter-
active flight design system based on the accepted FDS-II user
interface.
2) implement selected portions of the technique as a bench program
(FDS-I) to establish a base for evaluation of FDS-II requirements
3) use FDS-I to provide an objective evaluation and refinement of
FDS-II requirements.
3. Task Approach
The general task approach was to analyze flight planning requirements,
define a candidate computer system architecture that supports presently
defined user/computer dialogues, implement various components of the dialogue
and provide objective evaluations of, as well as suggest refinements to, the
requirements for the proposed FDS-II. To accomplish this task, four sub-
tasks were established that could be easily monitored. Each task had a
defined deliverable product.
3.1 Subtasks
3.1.1 Architecture
The goals of the architecture subtask were to:
1) Define a candidate architecture for a GFE mini-computer
system consistent with published FDS-II computational and
user dialogue requirements,
2) Assist NASA in prioritizing the components and functional
elements of the architecture for development by identifying
those elements necessary to evaluate FDS-II requirements.
The purpose of the architecture is to evaluate FDS-II Level
A and B requirements, prior to Level C requirements definition.
3.1.2 Design (Executive PDL)
The design subtask was to produce program design logic consistent
with the prioritized functional elements of subtask 3.1.1. This design
was restricted to the FDS Executive portion of the architecture. NASA
personnel were to implement applications derived from existing flight
design computer programs.
3.1.3 Implementation (Executive Code)'
The implementation subtask was to implement the designed program
elements of subtask 3.1.2 on the specified GFE computer and assist NASA
in evaluating FDS-II requirements.
3.1.h Analysis (FDS-II Analysis)
The analysis subtask was to document recommendations for FDS-II
computer system requirements resulting from the FDS-1 development
experience. Recommendations were to cover basic hardware, operating
system, system support software, and applications executive design.
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3.2
	 Schedules
The FDS Requirements Dvaluation 1rogram task was active from
November 29, 1976 to October 1, 1977•	 (The final deliveries were
accomplished on October 7, 1977.)	 A schedule by subtask is presented
in Figure 3-1.
3.3	 Status Reviews
•	 To maintain comprehensive communications between NASA and IBM
during the course of the task, bi-weekly on-site status reviews were
held.	 A documented status report was presented by IBM to NASA at each
of the 19 meetings.	 The reviews covered the following areas.
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1)	 Administrative
2)	 Configuration Control
"	 3)	 Financial
3.3.1	 Administrative Status
Each subtask was addressed as required in terms of current status,
outstanding issues, and immediate as well as overall schedules.
3,3.2	 Configuration Control
A mechanism was established and used by which problems and/or
desired modifications would be reported for hardware, delivered soft-
ware, and published documentation.	 A two function form (FDS Problem -
Deviation - Query Form (PDQ)) was developed by which a problem, change,
or query could be both described and answered (see figure 3-2). 	 All
lo ,, ging of PDQ's and the coordination of their disposition was accom-
plished through a close interaction between designated NASA and IBM
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coordinators.	 The use of the PDQ forms provided visibility and a
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historical record of problem areas, design/requirement changes, and
items for future consideration. Open PDQ's were die.:ussed at the bi-
weekly status reviews.
3.4 Financial
Total funding of the task was from tao sources. The majority of
the funds were RTOP funds with supplemental funds coming from DTMO.
Funds budgeted and spent are suwjaarized below:
RTOP FUNDS	 113,900
DTMO FUNDS
	 23,000
TOTAL	 136,900
EXTENDITURES	 128,000
REMAINING	 8,900
Total manhours expended = 4,400
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4.0 Tank Results
The objectives of the FDS Requirements Evaluation Task were to
design a computer technique accomplishing interactive Flight Design and
to implement sufficient code to determine the feasibility of the design.
These objectives were achieved with the planned output of the four sub-
tasks. The MPAD's Hewlett Packard 21 MX mini-computer and associated
peripherals were used as the development computer for the task.
4.1 Architecture Subtask
The result of the architecture subtask was the design of a system
consisting of two classes of program:
1) A library
 of applications processors, each designed to do a
specific flight design computational or analysis function
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2) an FDS executive that provides the following capabilities:
•	 Concurrent use of the system by multiple independent
users
•	 User communications with the system, both executive
and processors
•	 Ability to execute the applications processors, indivi-
dually or in a sequence
•	 Communications between processors
•	 Data management and retention of data from one terminal
session to another.
•	 Flexibility to easily extend system capabilities through
the addition, modification or deletion of processors
As the design effort progressed, the following executive
software functional areas were defined:
Multiple Tasking and Management
•	 Configuration Manager (dynamic system configuration)
•	 FDS Manager (dynamic data management and processor
sequencing)
•	 Attention Functions (Asynchronous program status and
control)
•	 System services (program to program communications)
Executive Primary Functions
•	 Terminal Communications and Lexical Analysis
•	 Interface Table Editor (processor input/output definition)
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rr	 Sequorwe 'Fable Pdito- (apecifteatirm of prnaosn0r
execution uequences)
o	 Execution Controller (automatic processor sequencing)
Th,n output product of the architecture subtask was the generation
of section 6.2 of the FDS-I System Design Document entitled, 	 x
"System Architecture and Executive." This documentation was
delivered to NASA on December 3, 1976 and subsequently updated to
keep it current with the actual implementation.
4.2 Design (Executive PDL) Subtask
As the• architecture phase of the task matured into the design
phase +
 a,even of the ei.Fht functional software areas defined in 4.1 re-
solved into 44 program modules. To date, the Sequence Table Editor
functional area has not been implemented. Before coding each routine,
a complete detailed design was developed using the Program Design
Language (PDL). Each design was then reviewed by at least one other
member of the task. By keypunching the PDL statements on cards and
utilizing a batch program (PDLIST), a structured PDL listing was
generated for each program. These listings constituted the design
documentation for each program and were the deliverable output of the
FDS-I system, i.e., Build I (6/30/77), Build II (8/31/77), and Build
III (10/7/77)•
4.3 Implementation (Executive Code) Subtask
The implementation subtask was the mechanization of the design
for each module into executable code. Both FORTRAN and assembler
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language were used in the task.
	 Of the 44 modules, 15 were coded in
assembler language and 29 in FORTRAN.
	 In total, 4848 lines of PDL and 1
9249 source lines were generated.
	 Each module was unit tested by the s
originating programmer.
	 As the modules were integrated into a system,
f	 comprehensive independent verification was performed at the system
'	 level.	 A complete set of program listings and disk files containing
all of the source, relocatable, and executable code was delivered for
o	
each incremental system Delivery.
4.4	 Analysis (FDS-II Analysis) Subtask
After the first increment of PDS-I had been coded, tested, andi
delivered, several discussion sessions involving all task personnel
were held in order to consolidate ideas on requirements for FDS-II.
Topics covered were:
o	 Hardware
o	 Operating System
o	 System Support Software
-	 o	 Documentation
a
0	 Executive Design
Recommendations were gathered for each function 9nd each was assigned
a relative importance, i.e., F
1)	 Mandatory
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2)	 Necessary for reasonable development
3)	 Highly Desirable
4)	 Desirable
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The resulting document was published and distributed to NASA on
August 12, 1977.
4.5 Related Task
In order to take advantage of the program modules implemented
under this task, a companion task (Flight Planning System Develop-
ment) was performed concurrently. This task developed additional
support and utility software. The combined outputs of the two tasks
together with applications software developed by NASA will result in
a system capable of supporting interim operational Flight Design
until FDS-II is completed.
5. Future Considerations
Items for future consideration include refined and extended
requirements identified during the implementation phase of FDS-I and
items identified in the FDS-T design, but due to priortization of
components, w , .re not implemented during the FDS Requirements
Evaluation Task. Yet to be considered are:
1) Batch 'Execution - the capability to schedule a job to be
run in the background asynchronously with the interactive
FDS.
2) Mixed Formats - the capability of supporting user defined
data arrays containing a variety of data formats, e.g.,
integer, double precision, character data, etc., that occur
in predefined fixed patterns.
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3) Extended Prompts - a capability whereby a user may, at any
point to his dialogue with the system, request udditional
, tutorial information by entering a simple request, e.g., a
7 symbol.
G) Sequence Table Editor - the capability for users to generate
and maintain tables in which a series of processor execution
commands are stored. This provides the users with the
capability of storing and executing standard sequences of
commands as logical entities, i.e,, standard flight phases.
5) Semi-Automatic and Automatic Mode- the execution of series
of processors using all or part of specified prestored
sequence tables.
6) Utility Processors - a set of processors that allow the user
to accomplish on-line storage allocation, basic mathematic
computations, execution sequence control, message outputs,
and parametric data generation.
7) Job Accounting System - the capability for FDS to automatically
collect and store statistical Ii.formation about the useage of
of the system, length of terminal session, CPU usage, I/O
frequency, etc,
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i6.	 References
6.7.	 Documents used as input data for the task
1) zFlight Design System-1, System Design Document Volume 1,
Section 3, "User Interface," April 19, 1977, NASA/MPAD,
IN 77-FM-19.
2) iFlight Planning System II - Level A Requirement for Flight
Design System (FDS), August 10, 1976, IBM, MIB-01, W. A.
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Young.
3) Task Order - FDS Requirements Evaluation Program, November 23,
1976, NASA/MPAD, TIRF No. 2924.
4) Task Order - FDS Requirements Evaluation Program, May 18, 1977
_ NASA/MPAD, TIRF No. 2927.
6.2	 Documents resulting from task performance
1) FDS System I Status, IBM, R. W. Turner produced on the
following dates:
r 12/03/76	 2/11/77
	
4/08/77
	
6/03/77
	
7/29/77
12/17/76	 2/25/77	 4/22/77	 6/17/77	 8/12/77
ol/14/77
	
3/11/77	 5/06/77	 7/06/77	 8/26/77
01/31/77
	
3/25/77
	
5/20/77	 7/15/77	 9/09/77
9/23/77
2) Flight Design Svstem 1, System Design Document, Volume IV,
Section 6, "System Architecture and Executive," December 3,
1976 and July, 1977, NASA/MPAD, IN 77-FM-18.
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3) Flight Design System -2 Requirements Recommendation,
August 12, 1977. TBM, RBS 55-1-39
h)	 Proposed FDS-I Schedule and Build Content, March 21, 1977
and July 15, 1977, IBM, Briefing.
5) FDS-I Fortran Coding Hints, March 25, 1977, IBM, Briefing.
6) Complete set of PDL listings, program listings, disk files
of source, relocatable and executable code and operational
notes for each of three system deliveries.
Build I = June 30, 1977
Build II = August 31, 1977
Build III = October 7, 1977


Flight design system requirements evaluation program

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