"Automated sequence generation" (autogen) signifies both a process and software used to automatically generate sequences of commands to operate various spacecraft. Autogen requires fewer workers than are needed for older manual sequence-generation processes and reduces sequence-generation times from weeks to minutes. The autogen software comprises the autogen script plus the Activity Plan Generator (APGEN) program. APGEN can be used for planning missions and command sequences. APGEN includes a graphical user interface that facilitates scheduling of activities on a time line and affords a capability to automatically expand, decompose, and schedule activities. The autogen script performs the following tasks:

  • Gathers needed data files from data repositories on the mission operations network.
  • Builds other data files needed for the APGEN scheduling algorithms, based on inputs specified by the user.
  • Sets up the environment to run APGEN, including scheduling instructions.
  • Runs APGEN, which schedules activities and writes the corresponding sequences of commands to files.
  • Manipulates the resultant sequence and other files, if needed.
  • Initiates any automated sequence processors to prepare the sequence for uplink, if appropriate.

This work was done by Roy Gladden of Caltech for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

This software is available for commercial licensing. Please contact Karina Edmonds of the California Institute of Technology at (626) 395-2322. Refer to NPO-30746.



This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
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Automated Sequence Generation Process and Software

(reference NPO-30746) is currently available for download from the TSP library.

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