A Software Environment for Psyche Testbed Operation

The Psyche mission is a NASA Discovery class mission which will explore a unique metal-rich asteroid named (16) Psyche. This asteroid is thought to be the exposed nickel-iron core of an early planet and may offer insights into the history and creation of terrestrial planets. The Psyche spacecraft launched on October 13, 2023 after an extensive verification and validation (V&V) campaign. Psyche testbeds are a centerpiece of V&V efforts and are an intricate combination of hardware and software used to verify the functions of the flight system. Testbeds serve a large number of users with different needs ranging from domain-specific tests to broad system-level tests. This paper describes the software environment developed to operate the Psyche testbeds. The testbeds consist of hardware and simulations to replicate the flight system and space environment, and an additional layer of software exists to facilitate testbed operation. This software offers capabilities such as streamlined testbed power on, support for multiple testbed configurations, parameter management, data product accounting, and other useful capabilities related to system testing. Simplified interfaces have encapsulated the details of testbed configuration and operation into manageable user selections. A modular design and automated deployment approach have enabled rapid updates across all testbed venues to meet the needs of a fast-paced V&V program. The adoption of the testbed software environment has reduced testbed startup time, improved consistency in testbed configuration, and provided users with the tools to effectively execute tests. Such capabilities have been key in integrating testbed hardware and software with people and process to carry out a V&V campaign.