DNV Consulting has won an ISVV contract for the Aeolus satellite, which is scheduled to be launched in September 2008. Furthermore, a contract to consolidate an ISVV methodology has been achieved. The safe and robust operation of technical systems is increasingly dependent on reliable and safe software. The ability to assess, verify and validate software-based systems is consequently of the utmost importance in most industries.
“These two ISVV contracts are a breakthrough for us,” says Narve Mjøs, who is in charge of DNV’s space activity. DNV is currently leading a project, being carried out for the European Space Agency (ESA), with the objective to define a method and a guide for independent verification and validation of software. This work is what has now led to the recent Aeolus-contract where we perform ISVV.
Methodology across industries
The European Space Agency (ESA), America’s NASA and Japan’s Jaxa/Jamss routinely require independent verification and validation for critical software. DNV was asked by ESA to consolidate a methodology that represented the best industry practice across industries. The main result from the project will be an ISVV Guide that shall be sufficiently generic to be useful in all industries. The project is being carried out in cooperation with companies producing space software and systems, including Denmark’s Terma, the UK’s SciSys and Portugal’s Critical Software, and is expected to be completed in October this year.
Springboard to other industries
”We’re developing expertise in Norway to carry out this kind of service worldwide - and not just in the field of space,” says Narve Mjøs. “However, the space contracts may be the springboard that helps DNV to achieve a leading role in this area across industries. In ESA, we enjoy a great deal of trust as a serious company with a good reputation based on our traditions as an independent third party.”