Portable Virtual Aircraft Test System (PVATS)

TMC's reusable modeling and simulation technologies are currently utilized by NASA for enabling advanced verification and validation (V&V) and dynamic analysis of complex systems such as spacecraft and launch vehicles by executing the exact flight software binaries in a software-only test bed. These reusable technologies, already developed under a NASA contract, are also applicable to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and will provide a portable, faster-than-real-time test bed capable of dynamic analysis, fault injection, and automated testing, including Monte Carlo analysis. This test bed, named Portable Virtual Aircraft Test System (PVATS), leverages TMC's existing virtualization and modeling technologies to create a virtual environment that includes a CPU instruction set emulator and modeled UAS components such as sensors and actuators, and which executes in an automated virtual machine. The PVATS goals are to directly improve the timeliness and thoroughness of test and evaluation outcomes while reducing costs and increasing UAS flight software assurance. The three targeted goals are 1) V&V of UAS flight software, 2) Assist UAS software development and early testing by providing many portable virtual test environments to developers, and 3) Training of UAS operators using a virtual environment.

The technologies described in this SBIR Phase I proposal are currently being applied to various NASA applications including dynamic testing, V&V, and mission training. For example, these technologies are being utilized to develop a James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) spacecraft simulator that is able to execute the unmodified (not recompiled) flight binaries of three flight computers which then interact with other modeled components, including virtual MIL-STD-1553 busses. This entire environment is running in two virtual machines on commodity laptops. Another example is the TMC-developed simulator for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) launch vehicle that contains triple-redundant flight computer models running the as-delivered flight software binary. The core modeling and simulation technologies which are leveraged in these examples are available for use on this SBIR and are also applicable to unmanned (aircraft) system test beds. PVATS is directly applicable to complex unmanned systems requiring rigid software testing requirements, providing a portable environment for testing avionics and payload software early in the life-cycle.TMC's experience has shown that NASA hardware test beds, which usually incorporate extremely specialized hardware, are overscheduled and prone to downtime due to integration and hardware failures. PVATS provides a virtual dry-run test environment that can be utilized prior to testing in hardware labs, ensuring a more efficient lab test experience.

PVATS has applicability to Non-NASA applications. It can be used by multiple government and private entities for V&V of unmanned systems. V&V of unmanned systems remains a challenging field mainly due to system complexity and the large number of requirements levied by diverse stakeholders. NASA unmanned systems research is similar to other agencies and private companies that utilize unmanned systems, including utilization of remote command and control systems. In any developed UAS system, there is a computing architecture that can be modeled and exercised with input/output (I/0) interfaces in order to provide a virtual unmanned system for V&V risk reduction and to assist with validating aircraft technologies including the maintenance of separation distances from other aircraft.

This is a mature technology (TRL 8) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.