How do you harness a satellite control system written in three languages, on four development platforms, and deployed to multiple client environments? With open source, naturally! When one wrong move can cost millions, you must rely on teamwork, smart design, and open standards to keep the project — if not the satellite — from going down in flames. This article by Cameron Laird (Vice president of Phaseit, Inc.) covers software engineering basics, taking advantage of outside solutions, and scripting multi-million-dollar manuvers. Laird writes . . .

“Suppose you're a rocket scientist, or, more precisely, a satellite engineer with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Your assignment is to get an innovative scientific satellite into orbit on schedule, under budget, and with novel functionality and robustness. How do you do it?”

“Well, if you believe the Jason-1 ground-control systems team, you do it the old-fashioned way: with disciplined teamwork (and maybe a few technical advantages) . . .”

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