Specification Agile Test Equipment (SATE) is an innovative method for improving automatic test systems quality and performance while reducing systems’ costs. It includes an interface to accept operational requirements in an industry standard format (standard mark-up languages, e.g. XML or SGML),and provides a modular, industry standard for interfacing with operational subsystems and components at physical system interfaces and provides a modular interface to operational subsystems and components using distributed software technology (e.g. CORBA).

Along with XML and CORBA, SATE also uses many other COTS standards, including an SQL database, standard instrument interfaces (VXI, cPCI, and GPIB) and a standard software development process (IEEE 12207).

SATE is related to other J3S products, including the XML Test Requirements Editor and Perceptive Testing. SATE is a patented J3S process and architecture.

Aerospace systems require complex test equipment to stimulate and sense performance for development testing and buy-off demonstrations

Test equipment is costly and should be developed to some extent concurrent with the development of the system to be tested in order to avoid program schedule risk

Once designed, the test equipment must react to inevitable changes in the testing requirements

If associated with production or in service performance assessment, obsolescence and maintenance costs grow throughout service life