Alessandro Pasetti

Senior Software & Control Engineer

Alessandro Pasetti has over 30 years of professional experience, mostly in satellite engineering. After working as a control systems engineer at the European Space Agency (ESA), he took a PhD in Software Engineering at the University of Konstanz. He then held a research assistantship at ETH-Zurich and, in 2004, established P&P Software GmbH as a consulting and engineering company where he is still working as a senior consultant. He has contributed to several major ESA satellite missions at both sub-system level (AOCS and software) and system level. In recent years, he was one of the architects of the BepiColombo AOCS, he specified and designed the CHEOPS Payload software, he specified the operations of the Biomass Radar. He is currently contributing to the development of the on-board software of the Maniac and CoCa payloads for the CometInterceptor mission and is responsible for the design of the on-board software of the Chances Instrument on the RAMSES mission.

Dr. Pasetti has published a book on Software Frameworks, has made several conference, book and journal contributions in various technical fields and was for three years associate editor of a control engineering journal.

P&P Software GmbH
Rheinsichtweg 8
Taegerwilen, 8274 (CH)

Phone: +41 78 626 27 05
Fax: +41 71 669 16 93
Email: pasetti@pnp-software.com

Education

PhD in Software Engineering / University of Konstanz
1999-01
MPhil in Sociology and Politics / University of Cambridge
1996-97
Distance Courses in History / Open University
1992-96
MSc in Control Systems / Imperial College
1986-87
Degree in Electrical Engineering / University of Trieste
1981-86

Career History

Founder and Director of P&P Software GmbH
From 2001
Research Assistant Automatic Control Laboratory, ETH-Zurich (part-time)
2001-2007
Research Assistant Faculty of Computer Science, University of Konstanz
1999-2001
Satellite Control Systems Engineer European Space Agency
1989-1999

Selected Industrial Projects

Specification & Design of Flight SW for an instrument on the RAMSES Satellite
2025-28
Specification & Validation of Flight SW for two Comet Interceptor Instruments
2022-26
Specification and Design of In-Flight Updates for AOCS of BepiColombo Satellite
2021-22
Development of Web-Based Repository for Medical Instrument Certificates
2019-22
Specification of Operations of the Radar of the Biomass Satellite
2019-22
Development of Reusable SW Assets for Medical Diagnostics Instruments
2018-19
Specification & Architecture of Instrument SW of CHEOPS Satellite
2014-18
Functional Verification of Control System of BepiColombo Satellite
2013-18
Design of Failure Detection/Recovery System for BepiColombo Satellite
2008-12
System- and AOCS-Level Analysis for BepiColombo Satellite
2008-16
Definition & Implementation of CORDET FW
2015-18
Definition & Implementation of FW Profile
2011-14
Design of a Software Framework for Medical Diagnostic Instruments
2008-10
Specification and Verification of Control Software for GOCE Satellite
2004-07
Development of the EODiSP Distributed Simulation Platform
2005-06

Research Interests

From 1999

  • • Model-Driven Development
  • • Generative Programming for Embedded Systems
  • • Aspect Oriented Programming
  • • Software Frameworks for Embedded Control Systems
  • • Feature Modelling

While in Cambridge (1996-97)

  • • Age-Based Social Stratification

While with ESA (1989-99)

  • • GPS-Based Attitude Determination
  • • On-Board Software Simulation and Testing
  • • Autonomous Satellite Orbit Determination
  • • Application of neural networks to spacecraft attitude control
  • • High Angular Rate Star Tracking

Selected Research Projects

Editorships

2005-08
Associate Editor of Control Engineering Practice, Elsevier Science Publications - Books

Publications - Books

2006
Japanese translation of Software Frameworks and Embedded Control Systems, LNCS Series, Vol. 2231, Springer-Verlag, 2002
2002
Software Frameworks and Embedded Control Systems, LNCS Series, Vol. 2231, Springer-Verlag, 2002

Publications - Journals And Contributions to Books

2024
CHEOPS in-flight performance: A comprehensive look at the first 3.5 years of operations, A. Fortier et al.; in: Astronomy & Astrophysics, June 3, 2024
2022
Investigating the architecture and internal structure of the TOI-561 system planets with CHEOPS, HARPS-N and TESS, G. Lacedelli et al.; in: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 511, Issue 3, April 2022
2009
Modeling and Software for Automation, A. Pasetti, W. Schaufelberger; in: S. Y. Nof(ed), Springer Handbook of Automation, Springer-Verlag, 2009
2006
A UML2 Profile for Reusable and Verifiable Real-Time Components, M. Egli, A. Pasetti, O. Rohlik, T. Vardanega; in: M. Morisio(ed), Reuse of Off-The-Shelf Components (ICSR), LNCS Series, Vol. 4039, Springer-Verlag, 2006
2004
XML-Based Feature Modelling, V. Cechticky, A. Pasetti, O. Rohlik, W. Schaufelberger; in: J. Bosch and C. Krueger (eds), Software Reuse: Methods, Techniques, and Tools (ICSR), LNCS Series, Vol. 3107, Springer-Verlag, 2004
2003
A Generative Approach to Framework Instantiation, V. Cechticky, A. Pasetti, W. Schaufelberger; in: F. Pfenning, Y. Smaragdakis (eds), Generative Programming and Component Engineering (GPCE), LNCS Series, Vol. 2830, Springer-Verlag, 2003
2002
Hints and Guidelines for the Framework Development and Adaptation Process W. Pree, A. Pasetti, T. Brown; in M. Fontoura, W. Pree, B. Rumpe, The UML-F Profile for Framework Architectures, Addison Wesley, 2002
2001
Embedded Software Market Transformation Through Reusable Components, W. Pree, A. Pasetti; in Henzinger T, Kirsch C (eds), Embedded Software -EmSoft 2001, LNCS Series, Vol. 2211, Springer-Verlag, 2001
2000
Two Novel Concepts for Systematic Product Line Development, A.Pasetti, W. Pree; in P. Donohoe (ed), Software Product Lines - Experienceand Research Directions, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2000
1999
Experimental Results on Three Multipath Mitigation Techniques for GPS-BasedAttitude Determination, A. Pasetti, L. Giulicchi; in Guidanceand Control 1999 - Advances in the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 101, R.Culp and D. Wiemer (eds.), published by Univelt Inc. for the AmericanAstronautical Society, 1999

Conference Proceedings

2017
Autonomy and FDIR Challenges for the BepiColombo Mission to Mercury, C. Steiger, A. Pasetti, P. Espeillac, T. Strandberg, M. Casasco, A. Altay, E. Montagnon; Proceedings of the ESA GNC Conference; May 2017, Salzburg, Austria
2015
Flight Software Development for the CHEOPS Instrument with the CORDET Framework, A. Pasetti, V. Cechticky, R. Ottensamer; Proceedings of the Data Systems in Aerospace (DASIA) Conference; May 2015, Barcelona, Spain
2013
Development of Real-Time Mission-Critical and Reusable Software with the FW Profile, A. Pasetti, V. Cechticky; Proceedings of the Embedded Computing Conference 2013; August 2013, Winterthur, Switzerland
2008
COrDeT Cannes : Use of domain engineering process to develop reusable architectures and building-blocks, G. Garcia, X. Olive, A. Pasetti, O. Rohlik, T. Vardanega, A.-I. Rodriguez-Rodriguez, A. Stragapede, A. Jung; Proceedings of the 19-th Data Systems in Aerospace (DASIA) Conference; May 2008, Palma de Majorca, Spain
2006
EODiSP - An Open and Distributed Simulation Platform, I. Birrer, B. Carnicero-Dominguez, M. Egli, J. Fuchs, A. Pasetti; Proceedings of the 9th Internation Workshop on Simulation for European Space Programmes, Noordwijk Nov. 2006, The Netherlands
A UML Profile for designing Reusable and Verifiable Software Components for On-Board Applications, M. Egli, A. Pasetti, O. Rohlik, T. Vardanega; Proceedings of the 17-th Data Systems in Aerospace (DASIA) Conference; June 2006, Berlin, Germany
2005
The Adaptability Challenge for Embedded Control System Software, V. Cechticky, A. Pasetti, W. Schaufelberger; Proceedings of the IFAC World Congress 2005, Prague, Czech Republic
2004
Implementing Adaptability in Embedded Software through Aspect-Oriented Programming, I. Birrer, V. Cechticky, A. Pasetti, O. Rohlik; Proceedings of IEEE Mechatronics & Robotics 2004, Aachen, Germany
An Aspect Weaver for Qualifiable Applications, I. Birrer, P. Chevalley, A. Pasetti, O. Rohlik; Proceedings of the 15-th Data Systems in Aerospace (DASIA) Conference; June 2004, Nice, France
2003
A Java-Based Framework for Real-Time Control Systems, A. Blum, V. Cechticky, A. Pasetti, W. Schaufelberger; Proceedings of the 9th IEEE International Conference onEmerging Technologies and Factory Automation (ETFA); Sept. 2003, Lisbon, Portugal
An Adaptable C++ On-Board Application, G. Montalto, A. Pasetti, N. Salerno;Proceedings of the 14-th Data Systems in Aerospace (DASIA) Conference; June 2003,Prague, Czech Republic
Generative Programming for Space Applications, V. Cechticky, A. Pasetti; Proceedings ofthe 14-th Data Systems in Aerospace (DASIA) Conference; June 2003,Prague, Czech Republic
2002
The AOCS Framework, V. Cechticky, G. Montalto, A. Pasetti, N. Salerno; Proceedings of the 5-th International ESA Conference on Spacecraft GNC; Oct. 2002, Frascati (Italy)
Real-Time Java for On-Board Systems, V. Cechticky, A. Pasetti; Proceedings of the 13-th Data Systems in Aerospace (DASIA) Conference; May 2002, Dublin, Ireland
Application of Software Framework Technology to an Antenna Pointing Controller, G. Montalto, A. Pasetti, N. Salerno; Proceedings of the 13-th Data Systems in Aerospace (DASIA) Conference; May 2002, Dublin, Ireland
2001
A Reusable and Platform-Independent Framework for Distributed Control Systems, T. Brown, T. Henzinger, C. Kirsch, A. Pasetti, W. Pree; Proceedings of IEEE/AIAA 20-th Digital Avionics Systems Conference; October 2001, Daytona Beach, Florida (USA)
An Object-Oriented Component-Based Framework for On-Board Software, A. Pasetti, W. Pree, J. Terraillon, T. Overbeek; Proceedings of the 12-th Data Systems in Aerospace (DASIA) Conference; May 2001, Nice, France
2000
A Reusable Architecture for Satellite Control Software, A. Pasetti, W. Pree; Proceedings of IEEE/AIAA 19-th Digital Avionics Systems Conference; 7-13 October 2000, Philadelphia, PA (USA)
1999
The Component Software Challenge for Real-Time Systems, A. Pasetti, W. Pree; Proceedings of the 1-st International Workshop on Real-Time Mission-Critical Systems; 30 Nov - 1 Dec 1999, Scottsdale, AZ (USA)
A Component Framework for Satellite On-Board Software, A. Pasetti, W. Pree; Proceedings of IEEE/AIAA 18-th Digital Avionics Systems Conference; Oct. 1999, St. Louis, Missouri (USA)
Dynamical Binning for High Angular Rate Star Tracking, A. Pasetti, S. Habinc, R. Creasey; Proceedings of the 4-th International ESA Conference on Spacecraft GNC; Oct. 1999, Noordwijk (The Netherlands)
Attitude Determination Using GPS: Multipath Reduction Through GPS Antenna Design, L. Vaillon, B. Taffet, J. Degeselle, L. Giulicchi, A. Pasetti; Proceedings of the 4-th International ESA Conference on Spacecraft GNC; Oct. 1999, Noordwijk (The Netherlands)
1996
A GPS-based Orbit Positioning System for the European Archimedes Mission, J. Potti, M. Bello, A. Pasetti; Proceedings of the 3rd International ESA Conference on Spacecraft GNC; Nov. 1996, Noordwijk (The Netherlands)
A New GPS Receiver for Small Satellite Positioning and Attitude Determination Experimentation in Orbit, M. Unwin, Y. Hashida, A. Pasetti; Proceedings of the 3rd ESA International Conference on Spacecraft GNC; Nov. 1996, Noordwijk (The Netherlands)
A Visibility-based Algorithm for the GPS Initial Integer Ambiguity Problem, A.Pasetti, F. Gottifredi, P. Colmenarejo; Proceedings of the 3rd International ESA Conference on Spacecraft GNC; Nov. 1996, Noordwijk (The Netherlands)
1995
Applicability of GPS-based Orbit Determination Systems to a Wide Range of HEO Missions, J. Potti, P. Bernedo, A. Pasetti; Proceedings of the ION GPS-95, Sept. 1995
1993
An Autonomous Station Keeping Systems for Future Geostationary Telecommunication Satellites; J. Potti, E. Mora, A. Pasetti; Proceedings of the 44-th Congress of the International Aeronautics Federation, Oct. 1993, Graz (Austria)

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