Web Design for the International Space Station: An overview of the challenges and new technologies used in Web-Based Applications onboard the Space Station, Astronaut Mission Planning and in Mission Control Center Operations
- Paper number
IAC-10.B6.1.10
- Author
Mr. Ahmed Khan, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Johnson Space Center, United States
- Year
2010
- Abstract
The International Space Station (ISS) Operations Planning Team, Mission Control Center and Mission Automation Support Network (MAS) have all evolved over the years to use specially modified 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 onboard mission support. While these web technologies are classified as non-critical in nature, their use is a backbone of the day-to-day human spaceflight operations onboard the ISS, and allow the crew to operate the ISS as a functioning science laboratory and shirt-sleeve office environment all while being nearly 300 kilometers above the Earth. These internet based applications allow for flexible communication through the use of onboard laptop computer networks and collaboration with the university-based science payload investigators and engineers on the ground. The rapid evolution of the Internet from 1998 (when ISS assembly began) to today, along with nature of continuous manned operations in space, have presented a unique challenge in space-oriented software engineering and system development. The traditional model of aerospace software system development and the slow, static system engineering approach needs to be revised to fit this unique environment. 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 globally through multiple control centers for International Partners (IPs) as well as onboard the station itself, have created special considerations and 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 special operational challenges, the evolving nature of the solutions and an analysis of 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 Space-Based Web tools, and the use of service oriented architectures (SOA) which can be customized to support mission operations, the maintenance of a web server onboard the ISS, The OpsLan, and functional-oriented Web Design with AJAX and DHTML and SVG Graphics, along with future use of thin client technologies such as Microsoft Silverlight, in space and on the ground.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-10.B6.1.10.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.