The Object Management Group (OMG) has announced a beta version of the Space Telecommunications Interface (STI) specification, which provides an open architecture for software-defined radios (SDRs) that are used in space and navigation communications systems.
According to OMG, this specification identifies data types, APIs, and operational patterns that compliant SDR platforms are required to implement.
Providing a common interface will enable easy portability of SDR applications between radio platform providers. It also acts as a metamodel for hardware and software architecture and enables adaptability to a variety of platforms.
“Many space projects either use hardware radios that cannot be modified once deployed, or SDRs that depend on the radio provider and involve significant effort to add new applications,” said Steve MacLaird, senior vice president of government and industry strategy at OMG. “Software-based SDRs enable advanced operations that reduce mission life-cycle costs for space or ground platforms. OMG’s systems modeling language SysML was chosen as the foundation of the STI specification because it allows engineers and program managers to use an open, modular approach as they develop SDRs.”
OMG expects that the final STI specification will be available by the end of the year and will be offered for free.
