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An Assessment of Space Shuttle Flight Software Development Processes (1993)

Chapter: Appendix B: Statement of Task

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Statement of Task." National Research Council. 1993. An Assessment of Space Shuttle Flight Software Development Processes. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2222.
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APPENDIX B

STATEMENT OF TASK

Committee for Review of Oversight Mechanisms for Space Shuttle Flight Software Processes

The Committee will review and critique NASA's Shuttle Flight-Software validation and verification process, by assessing the entire Flight Software development process from the initial requirements definition phase to final implementation, including object code build and final machine loading.

The Committee will review and critique NASA's independent and embedded validation and verification process and mechanisms, including those mechanisms for enforcement of NASA's established software development and testing standards. It will take into consideration the process document prepared by Intermetrics, Inc., the recent GAO report, and NASA's recommendations in response to the GAO report.

The Committee will determine the acceptability and adequacy of the embedded validation and verification processes through comparison with (1) generally accepted industry practices, and (2) generally accepted Department of Defense and/or other government practices (comparing organizations/projects with similar volumes of software development, software maturity, complexity, criticality, lines of code, national standards, etc.).

The Committee will consider whether or not independent validation and verification should continue. It will consider the role an IV &V contractor might play, but it will not assess the performance of Intermetrics, Inc.

The Committee will document the results of its assessment of NASA 's V&V in a progress report to accompany a briefing to the NASA Headquarters management. A final report on the adequacy and acceptability of the entire software-development process will be prepared as well, and a briefing to Headquarters management will be delivered. Recommendations, if any, will be prioritized and include supporting rationale. The reports will undergo normal NRC report review processes.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Statement of Task." National Research Council. 1993. An Assessment of Space Shuttle Flight Software Development Processes. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2222.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Statement of Task." National Research Council. 1993. An Assessment of Space Shuttle Flight Software Development Processes. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2222.
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Page 105
Suggested Citation:"Appendix B: Statement of Task." National Research Council. 1993. An Assessment of Space Shuttle Flight Software Development Processes. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/2222.
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Page 106
Next: Appendix C: Interim Report of the Committee for Review of Oversight Mechanisms for Space Shuttle Flight Software Process: Independent Verification and Validation for Space Shuttle Flight Software »
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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.

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