With the advent of faster processors and advanced hardware architectures, the modern spacecraft is highly reliant upon flight software for mission success. Software is integral to many subsystems ranging from power to propulsion to instrument operations. Additionally, spacecraft developers are moving beyond providing only infrastructure and into creating applications that can revolutionize how these vehicles are operated and how data are processed on-board.

For the past two years, with sponsorship from The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and the Baltimore Chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, The Workshops on Spacecaft Flight Software have attempted to promote communication among professionals involved in all aspects of flight software. Exchanges have occurred on a wide range of issues including flight software autonomy, space network protocols, and flight software architecutres. FSW-08 has concluded, but we are looking forward to FSW-09 which is tentatively schedule to take place at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, November 4-6, 2009.