Python and spacecraft onboard or ground control scripting

[Jeff Shannon]

In article <3cb8a237 at news.mhogaming.com>, 
Ken.Peek at SpiritSongDesigns.comNOSPAM says...

> ...  If you do not intend to operate the
> spacecraft in 'interactive mode', then why use a scripting
> language at all?

For the same reasons that one uses a "scripting" language in any 
other project -- speed of development, plus clearer, easier-to-
read code (thanks to less boilerplate).  Which leads directly to 
easily maintainable code and simpler software upgrades.

Note that the term "scripting language" is a very imprecise term, 
and it's arguable that it doesn't strictly apply to Python.  
Python is an interpreted general-purpose language, which is 
useful for scripting (among other things).  Then again, there are 
some people who use C as a scripting language...

-- 

Jeff Shannon
Technician/Programmer
Credit International