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ICS
And NRL Team on Interim Control Module (ICM) Columbia, Md., November 1, 1999 --
Interface & Control Systems (ICS) announced today that their SCL
product was selected to provide the real-time command and control system
for the Spacecraft Controller onboard the Interim Control Module (ICM).
ICS is part of the design and development team, along with the Naval
Research Laboratory, for ICM - NASA's plan to keep the International Space
Station (ISS) in orbit if Russian resupply rockets become unavailable. The
ICM program is a man-rated mission designed to dock with and mate to the
ISS and is designed to support the operations of the ISS until such time
as the permanent Control Module is available. The Interim Control Module is a space vehicle
developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for NASA and the ISS. The
ICM is designed to provide reboost and attitude control with on-orbit
emergency refuel capability, and to separate from the ISS and re-enter the
atmosphere at ICM end-of-life. The
ICM contains subsystems providing the following capabilities: reboost
propulsion; propulsive attitude control and ISS Control Moment Gyro
desaturation; electrical power generation, distribution, and control; RF
command, control, and communications links to the ground; real-time
operations command, control, and monitoring support to the ISS; thermal
control; on-board data processing; and ICM de-orbit propulsion.
The ICM design is based on an existing qualification vehicle,
resident at the NRL, that was adapted to fly this mission.
The ICM and its associated Aerospace Support Equipment (ASE) will
be launched on a dedicated flight of the Space Shuttle, presumably by
January 2000. The ICM’s design approach makes maximum possible use of
hardware, software, and technology from prior programs originating at the
NRL. ICS’s flagship product, SCL, is a COTS rule-based Expert
System developed by ICS and is used to provide real-time command, control
and monitoring for Satellite Control Centers, Testsets, and on-board
satellite control systems. NRL has used the SCL product on a number
of previous missions including Clementine, from which there was
considerable software re-use on ICM. ICS is a Product Development and Engineering Services Company
specializing in the development of real-time, embedded, and autonomous
command and control software systems. Services include software systems
engineering, integration and test, intelligent e-Business solutions, and
project and software life cycle management. ICS is a privately held
company with main offices in Columbia, MD, and Melbourne, FL. - end - Contact information:
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