CosmosCode: Now We Can Write Software for NASA

NASA is looking for volunteers to write code. In an attempt to start an open source collaboration with software developers, NASA has started CosmosCode:

CosmosCode will build a core offering of free and open source space software through an independent project hosting website, and the development and management of a free software community specific to the challenges and opportunities afforded by space.

I think this is a good idea, but of course, the real success of this project will hinge on the implementation. If NASA is serious about enlisting collaborators to develop space software, then they’ll need to make it easy to contribute. One thing they’ve done, which I guess is hip and trendy, is offer a community in Second Life. I have no idea how that’s going to help, but I guess I don’t have to.

The idea is certainly appealing enough though, I mean, who wouldn’t want to be involved in writing software to be used in space exploration, for space probes or data reduction and analysis? ( I mean anyone who writes software that is, like me.)

One area I’m extremely interested in is what to do with all of the data these space missions are generating. Terabytes of data are being collected and need to be made available to researchers and the general public. I’d volunteer to participate in an effort designed to get data out to people, archive it, and provides a set of analysis tools for that data.

I guess I’d even do it in Second Life.