Software Engineering Development Environment For The Launch Processing System

Tasked with supporting a progressive Shuttle launch rate, Lockheed Engineering and Software Production set out in 1984 to address the need to increase software productivity. Attention was focused on innovative tools since existing computer development systems were being reallocated for Shuttle operational testing and launch activities. It became apparent that due to the highly integrated nature of software production activities, a solution involving a local area network of engineering workstations was required. After prototyping and proving the design for increasing productivity, Lockheed procured and installed a networked computing system which generated a state-of-the-art environment for software engineering. The introduction of this new technology not only brought about new methods of implementing software changes, it resulted in a culture change for nearly everyone involved in the development cycle