An Assessment of Space Shuttle Flight Software Development Processes

Effective software is essential to the success and safety of the Space Shuttle, including its crew and its payloads.

The on-board software continually monitors and controls critical systems throughout a Space Shuttle flight.

At NASA's request, the committee convened to review the agency's flight software development processes and to recommend a number of ways those processes could be improved. This book, the result of the committee's study, evaluates the safety, oversight, and management functions that are implemented currently in the Space Shuttle program to ensure that the software is of the highest quality possible.

Numerous recommendations are made regarding safety and management procedures, and a rationale is offered for continuing the Independent Verification and Validation effort that was instituted after the Challenger Accident. Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive Summary1. Overview of the Study2. Independent Verification and Validation of Critical Software3.

The Space Shuttle Flight Software Development Process4.

The Space Shuttle Flight Software Verification and ValidationProcess5.

The Silent Safety Program Revisited6. Organizational Issues7. Final Thoughts and Future ConsiderationsBiographical Sketches of Committee MembersBibliographyAppendix A: Study ParticipantsAppendix B: Statement of TaskAppendix C: Interim Report of the Committee for Review of OversightMechanisms for Space Shuttle Flight Software Process: IndependentVerification and Validation for Space Shuttle Flight SoftwareAppendix D: Overview of ASET IV & V MethodologyAppendix E: Flight Software Verification and ValidationRequirements