ESA GNC Conference Papers Repository

Across the several phases of an Avionics system development, validation and verification process, different SW environments are normally used (for example commercial system analysis tools, like Matlab-Simulink®, end-toend spacecraft operability verification environments, like SIMSAT-2000, custom simulation software specific for real time simulation on test benches, and so on), depending on the specific needs of each development phase. Nevertheless, even in different SW environments, the same hardware item models have to be implemented. The standardization of the Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS) equipment software model interfaces allows portability (the same validated model can be used on the different environments), therefore maintainability and consistency. It also allow an easy replacement of an equipment SW model with a different one allowing flexibility and scalability also during the first phases of the AOCS design, when trade-offs and preliminary analysis can be required using different configurations. This poster describes a Thales Alenia Space Italy (TASI) approach for standardizing the AOCS equipment software model interfaces exploiting the polymorphism provided by the "C++" programming.