Challenges in Software Aspects of Aerospace Systems

For many years, NASA Langley Research Center has cooperated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in research about software engineering methods for aerospace applications. Recent research has focused on software aspects of the FAA’s certification process. In this paper, the results of the Streamlining Software Aspects of Certification (SSAC) program are examined to provide insight into current challenges in the aerospace industry in developing and assuring complex, software-based systems. We conclude that at the root of many of the current challenges lies the challenge of accurately communicating requirements between groups of people.