The Howdy Glossary

HAL/S is a programming language for the design of aerospace vehicles. The language was created for the Space Shuttle program by Intermetrics as a higher-level alternative to assembly language, allowing engineers to develop detailed avionics software designs that could be directly converted into executable code without undergoing significant changes during the translation process. HAL/S became one of several early mission-critical languages designed specifically with safety and reliability in mind—characteristics crucial in ensuring that space missions operate flawlessly under extreme conditions.