The use of Open Source-technology is the most significant innovation in the approach of the creating an information support system for project management in aerospace industry. Currently, Open Source software is one of the most popular free software with open source code. Open Source gives great opportunities, allows to save finance and to accelerate work processes, as opposed to the commercial software that has closed access to the source code. Commercial software does not give an opportunity to improve and adjust the software to fit your needs. So, since 2012, the National Aeronautic and Space Administration in USA (NASA) has considered a new policy for the use of Open Source-technology for their developments. As it is known that NASA maintains a website called code.nasa.gov, which is the central repository for open source-development, and publish in open access on service Github for open source-users of scientific and practical developments [6]. It should be noted, that NASA has prepared a web-application for visualization of significant moments of their space program to the three-year anniversary of landing of Mars rover Curiosity [5].
The term “open source software” is the marketing name of free software that is created by the community Open Source Initiative (www.opensource.org). One of the overarching goals of the organization Open Source Initiative is the fight against negative stereotypes about the free software, and the promotion idea of distribution of the source code [4, p.23]. The source code for these programs is available for viewing, studying and changing. Primary advantages of Open Source are as follows:
— The basic package of any solution with open source code can be changed depending on current requirements and tasks regardless of vendor (supplier-manufacturer software);
— Open Source software can be integrated with other software by quickly setting up an IT-system;
— Quite a good level of protection and of information security;
-High adaptability of the system to any projects through the open source code.
Presently, it is an acute problem of information support for monitoring projects of varying complexity and purpose. So Open Source-technology can be used for creating an integrated environment of information cooperation (IEIC) in the space industry. IEIC will help to solve the problems of information type, which frequently appear in the project organizations, namely:
1) Disparate information flow inside the company;
2) Disparate information flow from customers, executors, service (product) contractors, etc.;
3) Different data from the various organization that use different software which are not integrated into a single database.
IEIC will allow analyzing, managing and monitoring the current status of the project, which will provide access by an information web-portal. Therefore, to develop the information portal, we will consider specialized Content Management System (CMS) with open source code. CMS simplifies information content for Web application and allows a user to manage text and graphic content of web-portal. The main advantages of CMS:
1) Centralized management by a client-server base;
2) The ability to work from any web browser, regardless of a system and different platforms;
3) Multimedia content (HTML, XML, PDF, MP3, DOC etc.) management;
4) The ability to integrate various JavaScript-frameworks;
5) Content includes different modules;
6) Multilanguage support;
7) The absence of restrictions on the development of accessible web-design.
Nowadays, the most popular CMS with the open source code are WordPress, Drupal and Joomla.
WordPress is developed in a PHP programming language with a MySQL database. WordPress is easy to understand and to use, but not enough for implementation of the necessary tasks, because it is more suitable for blogging, although CMS’s developers say about the possibility to use WordPress for a wide range of tasks. It has a simple page layout, which consists of three main parts: a header, a footer and a main body. It also has a built-in navigation system, which automatically generates a new connection when creating a new page [1, p.130]. Bearing in mind the fact that WordPress is more suited for blogging and creating a website for a small business, the CMS will not be considered any further.
Drupal – content management system written by PHP and is used as a data store relational database MySQL and PostgreSQL. Drupal’s architecture allows a user to use it for blogs, news sites, news archives or social networks. The functionality, which is available by default, can be increased by using additional extensions – modules [3, p.15].
Joomla is a content management system written by PHP and JavaScript, and uses as a database store MySQL database. CMS Joomla includes a minimal set of tools during setup, which can be added as needed. Joomla as Drupal can be used for creating blogs, news sites, news archives, social networks, etc.
Table 1 describes the main specifications of Joomla and Drupal [2, p.13].
Table 1
The main specifications of Joomla and Drupal
| Specifications | Joomla | Drupal |
| Web-server | Apache/IIS | Apache/IIS |
| Database Management System (DMS) | MySQL | MySQL, PostgreSQL |
| PHP version | 5.2.х | 5.2.6 и выше |
| Security | Frequent updates eliminate the various vulnerabilities and problems | Frequent updates eliminate the various vulnerabilities and problems |
| Spam protection | Installation of additional plug-ins | Installation of additional modules |
| Platform | Any | Any |
| Interface | Comfortable | Uncomfortable |
| The load on the database server | Normal load | High load |
| UTF-8, FTP support | Yes | Yes |
| Caching function | Yes | Yes |
| Expandability by installation of additional components | Yes | Yes |
WordPress is not suitable for the development of information portal, because his platform does not have the necessary tools. Joomla and Drupal are multifunctional platforms, they are used all over the world for creating websites of any shapes and size. However, Drupal focuses on web-developers and demands a technical awareness of users. Consequently, a website development needs the time, and physical and material costs. Joomla is simple with comfortable administration interface provides comprehensive facilities (like Drupal). Therefore, CMS Joomla will be used to develop the information portal.
Literature
- Gornakov S.G. Learning the popular content management system (CMS). М.: DMK Press, 2009. — 333 p.;
- Kolisnichenko D. Choosing the best free engine for website. CMS Joomla! and Drupal. SPb.: BHV-Petergurg, 2010. – 288 p.;
- Romashov V. CMS Drupal: content management system. SPb.: Piter, 2010. – 256 p.;
- Fusco J.. Linux. Programmer’s guide. SPb.: Piter, 2011 – 448 p.;
- National Aeronautic and Space Administration. URL: https://www.nasa.gov/ (accessed date: 20.06.2016).
- Repository for open source developments. URL: https://github.com/nasa (accessed date: 20.06.2016).[schema type=»book» name=»OPEN SOURCE-TECHNOLOGY: ENGINEERING SUPPORT TOOLS IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY» description=»The possibility of using Open Source-technology as an instrument of creation the system of informative cooperation during the project support in aerospace industry is under consideration. Information web-portal provides the access for this informative cooperation. In order to develop the information portal the specialized management systems for CMS content with open source code are studied.» author=»Abenova Zhuldyz» publisher=»Басаранович Екатерина» pubdate=»2016-12-14″ edition=»euroasia-science_6(27)_23.06.2016″ ebook=»yes» ]