US space organisation, NASA, has now released its 2017-2018 software catalogue available for members of the public to freely use, without any copyright fees.

Catalogue of open source software

The catalogue is available both in print form and online, enabling readers to utilise the tools NASA uses to explore the universe. The extensive pack, which is organised into 15 different categories, includes software for business systems, data processing and systems testing, all free of use.

Assorted testing tools

Alongside software for technological aircraft and drones, the catalogue includes software testing tools such as a python software tool to assist in mechanical testing; Assert-Based Unit Test Tools; a NASA-developed tool that helps users of Stata statistical software test their own Stata code; Extended Testability Analysis (ETA) Tool V8.0; Payloads and Components Real-Time Automated Test System (PACRATS) and more.

First software catalogue compiled by a US federal agency

NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate Associate Administrator, Steve Jurczyk said: “The software catalogue is our way of supporting the innovation economy by granting access to tools used by today’s top aerospace professionals to entrepreneurs, small businesses, academia and industry. Access to these software codes has the potential to generate tangible benefits that create American jobs, earn revenue and save lives.”

The National Aeronautics and Space administration’s first ever copy of the ‘software handbook’ was back in 2014, marking the first software publically published, which was compiled by a federal government agency. Since 2014, developers have had three copies worth of software catalogues from NASA’s records.

NASA’s Technology Transfer Program Executive, Dan Lockney said, “Software has been a critical component of each of NASA’s mission successes and scientific discoveries. In fact, more than 30% of all reported NASA innovations are software. We’re pleased to transfer these tools to other sectors and excited at the prospect of seeing them implemented in new and creative ways.”

Edited from sources by Ella Donaldson