Space System Ontology commissioned by ESA

Designing and using spacecraft and satellites requires complex activities and a lot of knowledge exchange. Gorilla IT has laid the foundation for the Space System Ontology, the semantic information model of ESA. In addition, it used MDD principles to convert the information model into a working database with matching administration screens.

Semantic interoperability is recognized as the major lever to deploy digital engineering and continuity.

- European Space Agency -
European Space Agency
European Space Agency

Key results.

3

collaborating parties

ESA, Thales, Gorilla IT

5

perspectives in scope

of the space design cycle

>200

tables

in a normalized database

150

screens

in administrator applications

The challenge.

To capture all knowledge related to a space system in a consistent global conceptual data model in such a way that semantic interoperability is possible. The model offers the possibility to integrate the needs of every community involved in the life cycle of the space system.

European Space Agency

The case.

Our approach allowed us to lay the foundation for the Space System Ontology. By using MDD we were able to automatically convert the information model into a working database. Management screens were generated automatically.

Recording the lifecycle of a satellite is very complex. There have been previous projects that have captured semantics from space travel. Our work had to be based on the pre-existing Arcadia metamodel, a proven method for model-based systems engineering that has been used by the space community for many years.

This way, this project could focus solely on solving the semantics and ontology aspects, rather than also solving the technical engineering difficulties and issues that have already been solved in the past by the Arcadia team.

ESA requires that the ORM method is used for modeling the Space System Ontology. At Gorilla IT, we are strongly in favor of fact-based modeling. It is an integral part of our approach. We are very proud that ESA has chosen our expertise.

The steps we followed:
  • Model the Arcadia concepts, as recorded in UML
  • Remove technical constructions
  • Add missing semantics
  • Add missing lines
  • Add sources

We have worked closely with space experts to test and improve all findings. These were experts from ESA, Thales, Airbus and OHB.

With our Model Driven Development appraoch, we have been able to convert the Space System Ontology almost automatically into a management application. It consisted of:
  • 150 management screens to manage all information in the Space System Ontology
  • Middleware to enforce rules
  • Underlying database

We have successfully delivered the first version of the Space System Ontology. In the meantime, the Space System Ontology has been embraced by the space industry and the first extensions have already been added.