Introduction to Innovations in System and Software Engineering

Abstract

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established on 1st October 1958, with the goal of furthering man’s understanding of the universe. Since then, NASA has found its way into space to make key discoveries and, although an agency of the United States government, has won the hearts of peoples around the world. The entire world delights in NASA’s successes, such as putting man on the moon or the more recent rovers on the surface of Mars; the world is disappointed in its failures, and mourns its tragedies. For nearly half a century, NASA technology has not only improved its ability to explore the frontiers of space, it has also found valuable applications in the everyday lives of people on Earth, ranging from invaluable solar heaters for rural communities to the most advanced forms of satellite communications in use today. NASA sets itself high goals for exploration and scientific data collection and analysis, all of which feeds back to give a greater understanding of the universe and improve human life. Almost everything that NASA does relies heavily on continuing innovations in systems and software engineering. During its lifetime, NASA has seen both hardware and software failures, resulting in necessary changes to missions, failure to achieve the scientific goals of missions, or even loss of a spacecraft. However, the advances made have enabled more forward-reaching goals that have resulted in more valuable insights that today govern our understanding of Earth’s place in the universe. Through innovations in systems and software engineering, the engineering process has become more predictable and measurable, resulting in fewer errors that can endanger missions and precious life. These innovations have enabled mankind to reach further into space for new scientific discoveries that provide the basis for improvement of the human condition.