The feasibility of applying object-oriented technologies to operational flight software

As object-oriented technologies move from the laboratory to the mainstream, companies are beginning to realize cost benefits in terms of software reuse and reduced development time. These benefits have been elusive to developers of real-time flight software. Issues such as processing latencies, validated performance of mission critical functions, and integration of legacy code have inhibited the effective use of object-oriented technologies in this domain. Emerging design languages, development tools, and processes offer the potential to address the application of object technologies to real-time operational flight software development. This paper examines emerging object-based technologies and assess their applicability to operational flight software. It includes an analysis that compares and contrasts the current Comanche software development process with one based on object-oriented concepts