Digital Space Systems Engineering through Semantic Data Models

Abstract

Model-based Systems Engineering requires an intuitive semantically strong data model to enable precise data specification and provide the foundation for fruitful data analyses during data evolution. This paper presents an approach to use the Web Ontology Language (OWL) for specifying a Conceptual Data Model (CDM) being transformed into a format understandable by the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) to profit from powerful data handling and knowledge management functions during runtime. Coalescing OWL with EMF brings up the strength of both approaches leading to considerably better data models with less failure potential and reveal notably more analysis potential by using a common data model specification. This approach also enables the direct application of reasoning functionality for automatic inference of several pieces of knowledge and automatic checks as illustrated by examples from aerospace industry.