[Sea-sa] Rough minutes from 14 Aug 23 SEA SAWG RASDS Telecon

[Shames, Peter M (US 312B)]

SEA-SA RASDS working meeting on 14 Aug 23

Attendees: Krosley, Radulescu, Rovetto, Shames, Slane

Discussion of TC20/SC14 Progress using RASDS++ – Fred Slane

  *   Reviewed the draft TC20/SC14 Transnational Space Architecture Framework (TSAF RAS tutorial) that Fred provided back in June.
  *   Focus in this is on how the RASDS ++ framework can be used to directly support the SC14 needs for a descriptive framework / methodology
  *   The materials (marked up version attached) show the TSAF in the context of the SC14 work plan, using the RASDS++ views and methodology
  *   This was really a review of the SC14 work that is being done, so it served both as a validation of the RASDS++ framework, how well we described how to use it for some other TBD realized architecture (the TSAF), and the TSAF itself.
     *   Fred had a view labelled “Functional” for “On Orbit Servicing” and a process description that had been worked out with some 40 other organizations
     *   We pointed out that it was really an Operational view, with activities and processes
     *   The companion ISO document had an abbreviated description of this operational flow, with timelines, separate “client” and “servicing” spacecraft, and an associated description of these processes and a set of defined terms that had been carefully worked out with his community
     *   We proposed some terminology changes on pgs 8-10, and also discussed how the RASDS++ framework provided links from the Operational / process description to other views such as “Components” (the client and servicer spacecraft), “Connectors” (communications and also physical connections), “Services” (what the Servicer provides), protocols (the control aspects), and “Information” (the descriptions of operations and attributes).
     *   This last step is the path from the foundational Operations view to the other more technical views that describe the systems elements as opposed to what they are doing or how they are used.
     *   => Action Item for Fred: clean up these descriptions and viewpoint labels in the PPT file
  *   One realization is that we have not (yet) done an adequate job of describing the method for applying RASDS to a new problem, so there needs to be some added “methodology” in RASDS++.
  *   Like …
     *   Determine that you are going to use RASDS++ to develop the reference architecture for some purpose
     *   Identify the kinds of objects that you wish to focus on in any sort of “foundational view”
     *   Use the appropriate viewpoint specs to create the foundational view for the problem, might be Functional, or Operational, or Enterprise, or something else, depending on the nature of the problem
     *   Create other views, as needed, depending upon the problem you are trying to address, this might be a Functional view and an Information view for an Operational foundation, or it might be a Connectivity and Protocol view for a comm architecture foundation.
     *   Relationships among different views are handled via Correspondence, only the subsets of the problem that are necessary for a given approach need to be explored
     *   => Action Item for Peter: Provide a new, brief, methodology section for RASDS++, in text form
  *   We discussed the overall, somewhat informal, “RASDS++ Ontology” on pg 6 (and elsewhere).  The assertion was made that the aspects of the RASDS Information Viewpoint (data, metadata, rules) do encompass the concepts of terminology, taxonomy, and ontology, but that these could be made more explicit.  In the RASDS++ Ontology the concept “Metadata” really encompasses those concepts, but we need to make that explicit.  And the concept “Rules” encompasses the concepts of constructing data definitions & data structures (the basics), but also can be explicitly extended to encompass the concepts of rules for constructing terminologies, taxonomies, and ontologies.
  *   That discussion, and one of the “Mike Kearney” charts, like pg 16, brought up the explicit topic of ontologies.  Robert wanted to know where that ontology work was being done in CCSDS.  The brief answer is that CCSDS (and SC14) are only working on shared terminology sets at this point, not ontologies, per se.
     *   CCSDS currently has a set of terminology in a SANA Terms Registry (https://sanaregistry.org/r/terms/), that were extracted from the defined terms in various Blue & Magenta Books (mostly)
     *   SC14 has a similar set of terms, and these are being merged into a jointly created BETA version of the Terms registry in the SANA that may be searched for one, the other, or both sets of terms.
        *   Terminology == “the body of terms used with a particular technical application in a subject of study, profession, etc.”
     *   There is not yet a “clean” set of terms which removes duplicates and sorts out overlaps and/or specializations
     *   There is not yet a formally defined “space domain” taxonomy that groups like terms according to their hierarchical relationships
        *   Taxonomy == “Taxonomy is the science of classification according to a predetermined system, with the resulting catalog used to provide a conceptual framework for discussion, analysis or information retrieval.”
     *   There is not yet a formally defined “space domain” ontology that provides relationships among the various classes of objects that are used to describe systems
        *   Ontology == “An ontology defines a common vocabulary for researchers who need to share information in a domain. It includes machine-interpretable definitions of basic concepts in the domain and relations among them.”
     *   => Action Item for Robert: Briefly update these definitions and provide a short text paragraph on taxonomy/ontology terminology and process description for RASDS++ Information Viewpoint
  *   We also briefly reviewed the charts in “Solar Array in the Space Reference Architecture - ps1” that Fred provided.  We agreed that this was useful for the purpose of showing how RASDS++ might be used for the solar array model, but that no further work was needed on this.
     *   However, this deck, on pg 6, includes a graphic of “The Systems Engineering V” that appears to have come from an INCOSE document.
     *   On pg 14 of the TSAF Fred had included the somewhat more detailed version of the RASDS++ ontology where we also identified an Engineering Viewpoint, and a Mission Assurance viewpoint.  We had elected to not include these in RASDS because they are extensively covered elsewhere, both in ISO 15288 and in various agency specific documents.
     *   Upon thinking about that “SE V” and the relationship to RASDS++ it became clear that how RASDS++ (and other architecture methodologies), relate to the SE V is that it provides an actual architecture framework that deals with the “architecture” topic and provides a bridge to the “engineering” topic.
     *   In fact, we have the “two overlapping triangles” diagram that is exactly situated between “architecture” and “engineering”.  The suggestion was made that we consider including something like that “SE V”, plus these overlaid concepts, in an introductory section of RASDS++.  Filling this gap was, in effect, the whole raison d’etre for RASDS in the first place.
     *   => Action Item for Peter: Propose how to include this in an intro section of RASDS++, update the PPT file with new diagrams and text

Discussion of RASDS++ document status – Peter Shames

  *   The WG now needs to shift our attention to updating the RASDS++ Word version of the document, using the figures (and some text) from the latest version of the RASDS Update Views file
  *   The CWE folder has the latest files, at: https://cwe.ccsds.org/sea/docs/Forms/AllItems.aspx?RootFolder=%2Fsea%2Fdocs%2FSEA%2DSA%2FDraft%20Documents%2FRASDS%20Revisions%202020%2FRASDS%20revisions%20draft%20documents&FolderCTID=0x012000F83FD93BEFF45E4FB5D1769B01CA762F&View=%7BA709F322%2D0E67%2D45C7%2D932D%2DCB78C55CE268%7D
  *   Section writing assignments, updated/clarified from the original version, are now in the file: RASDS++ ToC draft - writing assignments - 2023 August 15 that is stored in the CWE
  *   The latest version of the draft document, 311x0p2 RASDS++ Draft 10Jul23, is now updated in the RASDS 2020 Revisions CWE folder.  Download a copy and make your edits to your own section, with Track Changes turned on.  We will merge manually.
  *   => Action Item for Ramon: upload the latest version of the document to the CWE (done)
  *   => Action item for the whole Team: review your writing assignments and verify that you accept the roles, by CoB, Tuesday, 22 Aug 23.

Next Working Meeting, 12 Sep 23 @ 0700 AM PDT

Prior to the meeting:

  *   Briefly review these notes
  *   Review your “Writing Assignments” in the context of the current draft document
  *   Review the updated diagram set once it is posted
  *   Determine the schedule you can commit to for the first draft(s) of your section(s)

 Agenda for the meeting:

  *   Discuss any issues with notes and agreements
  *   Confirm your “Writing Assignments” and the schedule you can commit to for the first draft(s) of your section(s)
  *   Raise any issues with assignments, missing figures, confusing materials or guidance, or disconnects between sections


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