ARIADNE: MUSC Microgravity Information System Applicable for Real-Time Experiment Operations to Bibliographic Retrieval.

Abstract

Prevailing experience in the performance of scientific experiments in space has shown that consistentt information processing during the whole life cycle of an experiment is a prerequisite for optimal and successful experiment performance. MUSC's information system ARIADNE will accompany the complete life cycle of a micro-g experiment. Experiments of any micro-g payload can be supported during preparation, execution, and evaluation. An ARIADNE prototype will already be used for the German Spacelab Mission D-2. Considerable effort has been taken to create a detailed and modular design. As a result ARIADNE's further development will be applied for precursor missions like Spacelab E-1 and EURECA-2. ARIADNE's hierarchically grouped software-processing functions are based on an overall database consisting of a relational, a bibliographical and a realtime part, furthermore it includes an application program library. ARIADNE is intended to be used as a decentralized distributed information system at least for the precursor missions. This requires well-defined interfaces to the outside environment (i.e. all interactive or automatic input/output sources) respecting security aspects.