Test automation for critical space software

Functional and performance testing of critical space software is a very complex task since demanding quality requirements have to be fulfilled. In order to avoid any serious project delay and to preserve the product quality it is necessary to focus on test process definition, testing automation, testing tools, and standardization since the early phases of the project. This paper proposes a testing framework for critical space software named Technical Specification Validation Framework (TSVF). It can be used to verify the implementation of software functional and performance requirements by providing means to design test cases, to implement the corresponding test procedures, to execute a full software test campaign, and to analyze the corresponding test results automatically. Test case implementation can be carried out by means of an XML-based test procedure language independent from the underlying test environment and allowing a convenient definition of the different test steps from a test-based standpoint.