DUAL Project
Exploration Portable Interface Computer (EPIC) Safety Study
Released on: 03/25/2009
Duration of Work:
9 Week(s)
*US Citizenship is Required*
Project Description
EPIC is a prototype system designed to provide a generic interface to allow non-critical systems to interface with Constellation mission or flight critical hardware and software in a space flight or space flight support environment.
The system uses Constellation interface requirements.
The requirement for DUAL is to perform a safety assessment, preferably using a formal technique (e.g. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) - System and/or Design), of the design of the overall system, architecture and software at this time. A brief (1 page or less) bi-weekly status report is requested to monitor overall project performance.
The Constellation program still has evolving requirements which are designed to allow a wide variety of hardware to interface with each other. As an interface specification, it does not specifically identify any hardware. Our hardware decisions are examples of possible implementations.
USA will provide the following materials:
" Constellation interface requirements documents
" EPIC system-level documentation
o Concept of operation
o Interface control document {draft}
o High-level design of current system
" Current software (note that the project is still being developed, and software will not be complete)
" Project final report from last year, including lessons learned
" Conceptual Hardware diagram (examples only of types of hardware envisioned)
USA will require the results of the safety assessment, along with a description of the methodology and materials included. Recommendations for design, technology, or hardware that would increase the integrity of the system are encouraged and welcome. The systems primary focus is protection against aberrant behavior due to coding defects, radiation hits, and incompatible systems. Since this system is expected to be used in a protected environment, it is not designed to specifically protect against malicious behavior.
USA anticipates this effort to be performed as an independent safety assessment. Once materials are provided, guidance would be via email, conference calls, or occasional tag-ups (at USA facility or the University??). Requests for additional documentation or support can be addressed as each need arises.
Material Needed
Tools (commercial or custom) to support a formal safety assessment (e.g. REASON (root cause analysis), FMEA templates), access to FMEA analyses for comparable systems (if available), NASA Software Safety Standard, NASA-STD-8719.13
Material Available
Documentation about the EPIC system, safety assessment performed for a similar type system developed for the Space Shuttle Program (much more constrained (resources & bandwidth) and intrusive (significant modifications to the flight software) than the proposed design).
Skills or field of knowledge required
Knowledge of the effect of radiation and random errors on software execution desirable, along with formal risk assessment, and system, software and hardware analysis skills. Personnel should be able to extrapolate possible implementations from high-level requirements documents.
(NOTE: Number of students is a guess, and should be considered open to negotiation)
Contact Information:
Mentor: Wilkinson Wendy M
Phone: 281/282-3120
Email: Wendy.M.Wilkinson@usa-spaceops.com
Please email
DUAL with any comments, suggestions, or questions.
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