Impacts of the Space Technology Evolution in the V\&V of Embedded Software-Intensive Systems

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how evolving space technology impacts the verification and validation processes of embedded software in nanosatellites, emphasizing standardization challenges and practical strategies in a real CubeSat mission.

Contribution

It provides an analysis of V&V strategies for embedded software in CubeSats, highlighting challenges posed by standardization and the New Space Age.

Findings

Standardization affects V&V processes significantly.

Real nanosatellite case study illustrates practical challenges.

Highlights need for adapted V&V techniques in New Space.

Abstract

CubeSat-based nanosatellites are composed of COTS components and rely on its structure and standardized interfaces. A challenge in the nanosatellites context is to adapt the V\&V (Verification and Validation) process to answer to the increase importance of the embedded software, to reduce the artefacts to be delivered aiming at cutting cost and time and still complying with international standards. This work presents an analysis of the strategy adopted in a real nanosatellite for the development of the OBDH software embedded in NanosatC-BR2 mission. The goal is to discuss the impact that the standardization of the structure and interfaces of the CubeSat impose on the V\&V process of the SiS and to highlight the challenges of ``New Space Age`` for the use of existing V\&V techniques and methods.