NASA to use IBM software for James Webb Space telecope

New Delhi, Jan 22 (UNI) US-based technology giant IBM today announced the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is using IBM software to develop the software and systems that will operate the James Webb Space Telescope.

As separate space agencies from several different countries around the world are developing the software that will operate the telescope's guidance, NASA mandated that each agency develop their systems using open standards-based software from IBM.

Navigation and Control (GNC) systems, Command and Data Handling (CNDH), and the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) are the primary instruments on the James Webb Space Telescope.

The software to be used is UML-based visual modeling development software 'IBM Rational Rose Real-time.' It acts as a blue print for the entire multi-decade project, allowing the developers of the various telescope systems to 'drag and drop' software code directly into the blue print where it is then automatically available across the entire project.

Rational Rose Real-time helps systems developers write applications faster without compromising quality.

''Since NASA is based on open standards, the consistent and unified nature of the IBM software architecture helps curtail any problems that might present themselves down the road,'' said a contractor for NASA, Satellite Software Corporation, ISIM Flight Software Development Lead Glenn Cammarata.

Rational Rose Real-Time software was the right choice for the critical nature of the James Webb Space Telescope. The software is much easier to manage and maintain pre and post launch, he added.

The IBM software continually verifies project quality along each step of the development process including code generation, testing, debugging and ongoing changes, so that systems development stays on course and without error.

This allows the many space agencies working on the James Webb Space Telescope to be more productive and able to deliver reliable code on time - meeting broader project requirements and industry compliance regulations, Mr Cammarata added.

Some of the agencies working on the telescope are also using IBM Requisite Pro, IBM Rational ClearCase and IBM Rational ClearQuest which allows them to synchronise changes within their globally dispersed project teams resulting in faster innovation.

The next generation telescope which will succeed the Hubble Space telescope will look much closer to the beginning of time and hunt for the unobserved formation of the first galaxies.

The telescope expected to be launched by 2013, will study galaxy, star and planet formation in the universe.

UNI