Software Reliability in COTS-Based Systems

Abstract

During the past two or three decades military services have focused on maximizing the use of space. Budgets were big and there was little incentive for cost containment. In an era of severely reduced satellite control budgets, custom software is being replaced by commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products which promise to relieve the software development cost burden. What are the software reliability issues associated with COTS products for space applications and how can they be &esstxl? This panel discussion will seek to understand and characterize critical issues and risk mitigation strategies for successful incorporation of COTS products in space system ground environments.