CCS & TSC brochure - terma

CCS and TSC
New Generation Check Out Systems
http://projects.nl.terma.com/CCS

What are CCS and TSC
The TERMA Central Control System (CCS) and its single user version Test
Sequence Controller (TSC) are the new generation of TERMA SCOS
compatible test automation systems.
They are based on an entirely new software kernel which incorporates several
long-standing customer improvement requests that were hitherto not feasible
on SCOS2000 systems. Nonetheless the high level of compatibility with
SCOS2000 makes them an extremely powerful alternative to the more
traditional system also for ESA satellite missions.
As check-out systems, they allow the user to connect, observe and interact
with the system under test either in real time or for data analysis and replay.
Their main goal is to allow automated testing using a test sequence scripting
language (a variant of the “TOPE” that is compatible with that used by
SCOS2000-based test systems.).
They can be used for validation of the system under test and/or of the
database content to be provided to mission operations.
The data exchanged are encoded/decoded using the configuration database
which provides also the setting for the monitoring to be performed (i.e. limit
check).
Heritage
TERMA CCS and TSC use the same database layout (the “MIB”) to describe
commands and telemetry as the one used in European spacecraft missions for
mission operations and system level checkout. This means that a database
validated at instrument/subsystem level can be delivered to the system level
and smoothly handed over to the operation sites
TSC has been successfully customized and operated in Galileo FOC Service
Module Simulator, EarthCare ATLID DAPB/PISA, TROPOMI I-EGSE, Small
GEO AIT, Sentinel1 , SES, Sentinel2 MSI, Bepi Colombo MIS
The new generation TERMA CCS has been successfully customized and
operated in IXV and is being customized for the MTG spacecraft.
Features
Among the feature of these new generation check out systems we
count:
Lightweight
Scalable(from TSC to CCS version)
Portability
Compatibility
Fully featured
Modern user interface
Adaptable & configurable
Interoperability
Front End API
Working with Databases
Working with external
Simulators
Simulation Features
Protocols and Interfaces
CCS5 running on a Windows PC
In this layout, the following features are
visible:
- Main screen
- Synoptic pictures
- Graphical displays
- ANDs
1

Lightweight
Scalable
Portable
Compatible
Fully featured
TERMA CCS and TSC are lightweight and fast. They are quick to install, without
complex dependencies, and are able to load a database and start automated
checkout very quickly. They are able to process telemetry and telecommands very
efficiently, to manage large databases and to process packets several times faster
than other current kernels. Because it is a single application, without complex clientserver
and server-server communication, the single user version (TSC) will run
perfectly well on a netbook.
The TERMA CCS version allows to be installed both as a server and as a client. In
this way we can distribute the processing so that for small system a single CCS is
used for the acquisition and the MMI while for larger systems is possible to have
one or more CCS clients to be used to monitor the data received from the CCS
server which will handle the interfaces to the system. The CCS clients will have
commanding capability which will be managed by the CCS server.
TERMA CCS and TSC are based on Qt, which is a highly portable software toolkit.
We exclusively deploy for Windows for economic reasons; we cannot economically
simultaneously support several LINUX variants, versions and distributions. In
addition to compile for and run on 32-bit and 64-bit architectures, all TM and TC
parameter types, including enumerations, bit strings and non-byte-aligned
parameters within TM and TC packets are supported up to 64 bits, also on 32-bit
operating systems.
TERMA CCS and TSC maintain a high level of compatibility with full mission control
and checkout systems used in spacecraft programs. This applies to database, test
sequence language, synoptic pictures, archiving formats and third party tools like
the test sequence checker and debugger.
TERMA CCS and TSC contain a full implementation of all monitoring and control
features; in fact limitations of other current kernels do not apply. For example:
Parameter samples from variable packet definitions and
supercommutated samples are fully available to the test language, and
are calibrated and limit checked.
Variable length parameters are supported in both telemetry and
telecommand.
Telecommand header generation is completely database driven, without
assumptions that certain fields must be located at fixed locations in the
telecommand packet.
TERMA CCS and TSC allow direct drag and drop of telecommands and front end
functions into a test sequence editor or into manual commanding windows. The
user is guided as to the arguments, types and allowed values of these commands
from the database. Telecommand parameter de-calibration, limit checking, default
values, default value sets, and variable length nested groups of telecommand
parameters are all supported.
Fig. 2 – from Tablet to 4 screens setup
2

TERMA CCS and TSC provide full database-driven telecommand execution verification,
compatible with mission control and checkout systems. This includes:
Interoperable
Telecommands can be verified based on receipt of ECSS PUS confirmation TM packets
(“Type 1 TM”) or based on changes in TM parameters.
Verification is based on timing criteria configured in the database which describes the time
windows and expected values that are allowed for successful or unsuccessful verification.
Status Consistency Checking (SCC) is also supported, sometimes called “change on
command only” checking (COCOMO). This allows a limit to be fired when a parameter
changes without sending a specific telecommand. The parameter may not change unless
the command is sent. When the specified command is sent, the related parameters may
only change within the allowed time window. The new value after the allowed change
becomes the reference value for future checking.
TERMA CCS and TSC can be used when the system under test has an onboard time-line.
Telecommands sent using ECSS PUS type 11 commands will be subject to delayed
verification until the time when the telecommand should execute on board. The allowed
time windows for verification are delayed until the specified time. In addition to monitoring
the mission time-line status, you can also script advanced mission time-line management
with complete flexibility, for example to “watch” for telecommands that would change the
time line, and change the ground based time line model correspondingly.
Pre-transmission verification, and critical command checking are implemented.
CCS and TSC allow “deduced” parameters, supported in both TM and TC directions,
furthermore because variable packet handling is fully integrated, it is possible to model an
on-board parameter data pool, exchanging only a subset of ID/value pairs.
During preparation you can consistency check test sequences or synoptic pictures, to
make sure their syntax is correct and also that their references to database objects are
correct. The test sequence checker is plugin-aware: it will check the regular TCL and
TOPE as well as the functions and arguments of any plugins used.
Because TCL is the test language, you can use most available TCL plugins. These include
various databases, and office desktop tools. On MS Windows, generic COM interfaces can be
used, or provided. The BLT plugin provides super-fast scriptable plotting and vector
calculation.
The TERMA CCS5 can interface directly to MATLAB. This can be useful where complex
mission-specific image data processing is required. Typical applications are “Quick Look” at
images acquired by a spacecraft instrument. Of course MATLAB licenses are required to
activate this feature, and the image processing algorithms must be developed for a specific
mission. Because of MATLAB limitations, only one test sequence at a time can access
MATLAB.
Fig. 3 – TM, TC and MTL Displays
3

Modern User
Interface
Front End API
TERMA CCS and TSC have a modern graphical user interface, and look similar on any current
operating system. This user interface supports direct copy and paste into typical office
applications. It is possible to run the software on any office PC, away from the system under
test, for preparation or analysis. No third-party licenses are needed.
Full indexed searchable on-line help is available. For most elements in the user
interface, pop-up bubble help provides additional information from the current
database or plug-in.
Synoptic Pictures can be directly displayed, if desired including 3D content. Synoptic
displays can be controlled from the test language.
A “TM sheet” view can be called up for different categories of telemetry parameter:
group, packet, display, or subsystem. These sheets can be sorted by any field,
searched or filtered. The contents of a TM sheet can be copied & pasted into a
spreadsheet or word processor document.
Built-in graph plotter and alphanumeric displays (AND's). Parameters or groups of
parameters can be dragged and dropped from the MMI onto a graph or AND. Your
graph or AND definitions are saved for later use or inclusion in the MIB database.
You can also create, and modify graphs from the test language.
Historical parameter values can be displayed by clicking on the packet it arrived in.
Clicking on a TM or TC parameter shows the exact bits in the raw packet that were
transmitted.
A MIB database browser is immediately available searching, filtering and sorting also
by reference to the database source, with cut & paste, and drag and drop into other
elements of the MMI.
Clicking on a TM or TC parameter highlights its location in the raw data of the packet.
When deployed with appropriate front-end equipment, the TERMA CCS5 is able to directly
access the interfaces of the front end, both for commanding and front end status
acquisition. The front end functions and status are immediately added to the test language
and to the user interface. This feature is believed to be unique. The direct benefit to the
user is that during early testing, it is not necessary to use any database to interact with the
front-end.
Standard CMDVS FE interfaces include:
MIL-STD-1553
SpaceWire
CAN bus
Discrete TM/TC
Power
Serial/GPIB
The TMTC front end and SSET simulator interfaces are also supported
Fig. 4 – Synoptics, ANDs and Graphs
4

Adaptable &
configurable
TERMA CCS and TSC are very quickly adaptable to the needs and interfaces of a new
mission or system under test. The external interface is managed through a dynamically
loadable plug-in that can be selected at runtime. Several “standard” as well as missionspecific
plug-ins are available. This means that multiple front ends can be controlled, and will
work straight away with SCOE using one of the protocols used by the major European
spacecraft manufacturers.
Plugins provide their own specific functions and status, for example packet counters,
connection status, or special functions to send text-only commands to the front-end
equipment, where supported by the protocol. These functions and status automatically
appear in the MMI and also get added to the test language.
TERMA CCS and TSC are highly flexible and configurable; for example:
If a particular command verification stage is not used in a specific mission, it can be
disabled, and will then not appear in the user interface or be checked.
Mission specific sequence count checking and generation policies are supported.
Mission specific on-board time formats are supported
Mission specific locations and sizes for specific PUS packet fields are supported
The size of the length field “N” of a PUS variable length parameter is configurable
Mission specific time line management is fully scriptable
Working with
Databases
Manipulating MIB databases can be extremely time consuming when working with other
systems. When a database is changing frequently it can be a major effort to merge and
separate different subsystem databases before starting a test.
The TERMA CCS5 will merge different MIB databases together automatically at start up. It
can also load and drop databases on-the-fly even while test sequences are running. If a
database is dropped, all test sequences are suspended and the telemetry sources are
disconnected. When a new database is re-loaded, you can reconnect the telemetry and
resume running test sequences. This is convenient if you have databases from different
companies, subsystems, databases working with different versions of on-board software,
databases with different maturity and sometimes databases that need to be completely
overwritten.
The TERMA CCS5 can load any number of separate databases, and you can configure where
to search for additional databases. Keeping these different databases separate means that if
you need to modify, regenerate, or completely replace one subset of the overall system
database, you can modify the subset without any side-effects, and without needing to
separate and merge the MIB files.
There is a built-in MIB browser that shows you all tables from the MIB. The browser shows
you directly which database a table row came from. Searching and filtering is lightning fast.
DB
TMTC
OBSW V2
exchange
DB
TMTC
OBSW V1
DB
SubSystem2
Supplier SS1 Delivery (update)
DB
Runtime
DB
SubSystem2
MERGE & LOAD
CONTINUE!
Supplier SS2 Delivery (update)
DB
EGSE1
EGSE supplier
DB
EGSE2
DROP!
Fig. 5 – Database Management
5

Working with external
Simulators
Simulation Features
Protocols and
Interfaces
Limitations
TERMA CCS and TSC can work with simulators or SVF's (Software Validation
Facilities) whose simulation time may be running at a different rate from real
time. In SVF mode, TERMA CCS and TSC accept an external time pulse and
then TC verification timers and test sequence timers will expire according to
the time pulse rather than wall-clock time.
The external time signal can speed up, slow down, pause and resume. The
benefit is that scripts and databases containing embedded timeouts should
not need to be changed to work with a simulator whose simulated time
progresses at a different rate from wall-clock time
TERMA CCS and TSC have built-in capabilities to generate telemetry according
to its definition in the user database. This means that if or when the user
database changes, the generated telemetry will automatically adjust to the
new definitions.
TERMA CCS and TSC support all major EGSE protocols including EDEN and
the C&C protocols used by different prime contractors, with the ability to
connect to multiple SCOE from a single check out station. To switch between
SCOE protocols is dynamic, you just have to select a different “data-source”
plugin from the menu, and hit the “Connect” button.
For these protocols, the TERMA CCS and TSC can also act as servers as well
as clients. This means an external CCS can connect to TERMA CCS or TSC
and command it (and receive distributed telemetry) using the standard
protocols. TERMA CCS and TSC allow the user to fully script the response to
SCOE commands, so that when a command comes from the client, a user
specified TOPE procedure is called. The handling of errors and command
acknowledgment is also automated.
The SCOE protocol plugins also allow TOPE scripts to send protocol
messages directly from TOPE scripts, without being forced to define
messages in any database.
The built in test sequence editor provided by TERMA CCS and TSC is basic; it
is assumed that you will use your preferred TCL editor. There are some very
good TCL editors available for free download. When you configure your
preferred editor, then clicking on a test sequence will open your editor.
TERMA CCS and TSC do not provide their own configuration management
system; it is assumed that you will use your preferred configuration control
system such as CVS or SVN
CCS5 running on a Windows PC with several
Telemetry and Telecommand Packet viewer
windows open
6

TERMA SPACE
With a 35-year track record, Terma is among the most experienced
European providers of mission-critical products, software, and services for
space missions.
Terma excels in state-of-the-art niche technology and robust operational
systems for the space industry.
Working in close collaboration with customers and leading industry
bodies, we develop advanced, mission-specific solutions.
Operating in all phases of space program development, Terma's unique
systems, software, and products are depended upon all over the world by
astronauts, spacecraft, and organizations for mission success.
Our solutions include customized systems for space science, earth
observation, navigation, and telecommunication programs
In the last 30 years, Terma has supplied checkout systems for many
spacecraft, payloads and instruments covering:
- Scientific spacecraft such as BepiColombo, Herschel, Planck,
Rosetta, MarsExpress, Venus Express, Cluster, SOHO, ISO
- Earth observation spacecraft - Sentinel-5P, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-
2, EarthCare, SWARM, Aeolus, CBERS, GOCE, Cryosat,
Meteosat Second Generation, ENVISAT, ERS
- Communication spacecraft – SmallGEO
- Navigation – Galileo IOV, Galileo FOC
- Launchers – IXV
Terma B.V.
Schuttersveld 9
2316 XG Leiden
The Netherlands
T +31 71 524 0800
F +31 71 514 3277
E terma.nl@terma.com
W www.terma.com
W http://projects.nl.terma.com/CCS