Space Software Validation Using Abstract Interpretation

This paper reports the results of an ESA funded project on the use of abstract interpretation to validate critical real-time embedded space software. Abstract interpretation is industrially used since several years, especially for the validation of the Ariane 5 launcher. However, the limitations of the tools used so far prevented a wider deployment. Astrium Space Transportation, CEA, and ENS have analyzed the performances of two recent tools on a case study extracted from the safety software of the ATV: ASTRÉE, developed by ENS and CNRS, to check for run-time errors, FLUCTUAT, developed by CEA, to analyse the accuracy of numerical computations. The conclusion of the study is that the performance of this new generation of tools has dramatically increased (no false alarms and fine analysis of numerical precision).