Experiences in Improving Flight Software Development Processes

Abstract

In 2001, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) initiated a software process improvement effort. In 2004, JPL began the Multimission System Architecture Platform (MSAP) project and designated it as part of this effort. In 2007, JPL's Engineering and Science Directorate, which controls the MSAP project's technical development, achieved CMMI Staged Maturity Level 3.1 This article describes the impacts of the CMMI rating and the JPL process improvement effort on the MSAP project's software engineering and assurance organizations.