Parallel programming at NASA/NAS

Abstract

This paper describes parallel programming at NASA. After extensive survey and evaluation, we have decided to focus our design and development effort on tools that assist debugging and performance optimization, and tools that help data alignment and distribution. Meanwhile, we are actively participating programming language design and standardization. The Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation (NAS) Program at NASA Ames Research Center is a path-finder for high performance computing and communication at NASA. It has been providing vector-oriented supercomputers such as CRAY X-MP, YMP, and CRAY 2 for many years. In a few years, NAS will provide massively parallel computers in addition to traditional supercomputers for solving computational aeroscience grand challenge problems. NAS currently has an Intel iPSC/860, Paragon, CM5, CRAY C-90, and CRAY Y-MP with more massively parallel machines under consideration for procurement.<>