


I know this is kinda off the subject of sci.space, but not really, I want to
answer this for their, as well as everyone else's information.  What these
people are proposing, by and large already exists and can be purchased today.

It is called labview by National Instruments.  IT is a wonderful object
oriented graphical programming language.  IT has been implemented on
both Mac's PC's and VME unix boxes.  IT is fare superior to any programming
approach that I have ever seen and allowed us to decrease the software
development time for our shuttle payloads by 90 percent.  This program is
not dependendant on specific hardware and already has exensive analysis 
capability.

Why re-invent the wheel on a platform that may not exist? It is a great
idea but look out there at what is available today.  The Hydrogen leak on
the Shuttle was found using this software. All SSME control and simulation
studies, along with the real testing at MSFC is handled with LabVIEW.  There
are tons of applications, with the ability to create "virtual" instruments
that can accomplish any specific custom task the maker desires.  With the
addition of IEEE-488 support, the computer becomes a virtual control station,
allowing the graphic representation of remote instrumentation. With serial
I/O support that instrument can be anywhere.  The ground control software
for the main control of SEDSAT 1 will utilize this approach.