IMACCS: a progress report on NASA/GSFC´s COTS-based ground data systems, and their extension into new domains

The Integrated Monitoring, Analysis, and Control COTS System (IMACCS), provides real time satellite command and telemetry support, orbit and attitude determination, events prediction, and data trending. It was implemented in just 90 days as a proof of concept at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in 1995. This paper describes upgrades made to the original commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS)-based prototype. These upgrades include automation capability and spacecraft integration and testing (I&T) capability. A further extension to the prototype is the establishment of a direct RF interface to a spacecraft. As with the original prototype, all of these enhancements required lower staffing levels and reduced schedules compared to custom system development approaches. The team´s approach to system development, including taking advantage of COTS and legacy software, is also described