Using NuSTAR mission operations software for instrument and spacecraft development

NuSTAR, a NASA Small Explorer mission, is a high-energy astrophysics observatory targeted for an early 2012 launch into a low-inclination, low-Earth orbit. The science instrument is a focusing X-ray telescope developed by Caltech. Mission operations are conducted at Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, and science operations at Caltech. Integrated software systems provided by the mission operations team support all phases of NuSTAR instrument and spacecraft development, observatory integration, and environmental testing. Required simulators, prototype modules, and flight and ground systems interfaces are introduced into the development and test environment early in the project to closely match to on-orbit operations. This test-like-you-fly philosophy demands foresight and disciplined development at the earliest stages of project, but reduces cost and risk throughout the project life cycle by streamlining workflows and preventing interface problems at later stages. It also provides an excellent training environment and essentially guarantees a smooth transition to on-orbit operations. This paper reports on the progress and first successes of the NuSTAR team with the taken approach.