…Continued

The network is a facility of NASA, and is managed and operated for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Interplanetary Network Directorate (IND) manages the program within JPL.

ML provides professional services in three separate functional areas:

   Software Engineering

   Test Engineering

   Technical Publications

The Software Engineering group is responsible for Networking, Analysis, Technical Support and Real Time Software development. The Software Engineering group is part of the team that is designing and developing the Systems Performance Test  (SPT) System utilizing
C++, and JAVA in a UNIX real-time environment. The SPT will be used by operations personnel to diagnose problems with spacecraft and ensure/verify the capabilities of the DSN, such as telemetry, positioning, signals, data, pictures, and radio science, that are downloaded from the DSN international network of antennas.

The Test Engineers are assigned to The Network Simplification Project (NSP) Systems test. The NSP is a redesign and development of the software architecture, which was undertaken to minimize future maintenance. Utilizing Industry Standard test methodologies, test theory, and the fundamentals of design and operations for hardware and/or software the Test Engineers;

• Support DSMS Engineering in pre-acceptance test phase.
• Participate in test plan reviews by analyzing the test
  procedure documents in terms of complexity, function
  points, coverage, and other industry standard measures.
• Participate in DSMS development-to-operations-process
  reviews.
• Perform and support acceptance tests as documented in released
  test plans, to verify/validate functional requirements and
  ensure operability.
• As required, generate additional test plans, including an
  operations test plan, modifications to DSMS test documents,
  and modifications to procedures.
• Schedule tests and determine resource requirements
  (test equipment, station equipment, and personnel), based on
  delivered or draft test plans.
• Document test results in test reports.
• Document anomalies, using the DSMS anomaly
  reporting system.
• Work with DSN Network Engineers to analyze and respond
   to anomalies.

The Technical Publication group provides support in these areas:

• Documents published to support DSN engineering efforts
• Software documentation supporting spacecraft operation
• Facility maintenance tasks
• Processes and procedures specific to the DSN

Technical Documentation & DSMS Library

Resources
• 2 Graphic Designers
• 4 Technical Writers/Editors
• 2 Library Technicians
• 8600 documents
• 76,000 engineering drawings

Mission
• Manage, release, distribute, and obsolesce documents
  and associated data
• Maintain all DSMS documents
• Release and distribute ~600 documents per year
• Mission test, readiness, and operations plans
• H/W and S/W installation and operations manuals
• DSN standard operating procedures
• Manage the ITT DSN documentation change
  and control process

Initiatives
• Online review/approval capability for DSMS documents
• Improvements to the DSMS documentation process
  and modernization of supporting tools