Developing Experimental Models for NASA Missions with ASSL

TL;DR

This paper presents the development of formal models and prototypes for NASA space missions using ASSL, aiming to enhance spacecraft autonomy and reliability through autonomic computing principles.

Contribution

It introduces the application of ASSL for modeling and prototyping autonomous spacecraft systems, advancing formal methods in space mission design.

Findings

Validated models through simulation experiments

Demonstrated increased spacecraft autonomy

Produced functional prototypes for NASA missions

Abstract

NASA's new age of space exploration augurs great promise for deep space exploration missions whereby spacecraft should be independent, autonomous, and smart. Nowadays NASA increasingly relies on the concepts of autonomic computing, exploiting these to increase the survivability of remote missions, particularly when human tending is not feasible. Autonomic computing has been recognized as a promising approach to the development of self-managing spacecraft systems that employ onboard intelligence and rely less on control links. The Autonomic System Specification Language (ASSL) is a framework for formally specifying and generating autonomic systems. As part of long-term research targeted at the development of models for space exploration missions that rely on principles of autonomic computing, we have employed ASSL to develop formal models and generate functional prototypes for NASA missions. This helps to validate features and perform experiments through simulation. Here, we discuss our work on developing such missions with ASSL.