Board Data Handling Research Articles

Error Detection and Correction System (EDAC) of On Board Data Handling (OBDH) in Real Time Operating System Behaviour

The satellite requires the support of a robust sub system. On Board Data Handling (OBDH) is the core function of the satellite subsystem and has to be error free in managing the operation of the satellite. It should withstand the harsh environmental conditions in space that has a lot of hazards caused by radiations. In view of these two conditions, the OBDH design should be able to manage the operation and overcome the hazards of radiation. In order to manage the operation Real Time Operating System (RTOS) was applied. RTOS was able to manage the task efficiently and effectively. In the aerospace domain, RTOS has become popular because of its strength in managing the operating system. Error Detection and Correction System (EDAC) system was applied to make OBDH more robust. This paper discusses the implementation of the EDAC system in tandem with the RTOS behaviour to manage the operation and increase the robustness of the system. The findings show that OBDH can be programmed successfully using RTOS to handle critical and robust operations.

Pre-flight qualification test procedure for nanosatellites using sounding rockets

This work presents an innovative procedure to test nanosatellites subsystems on board sounding rockets. The procedure allows the subsystems to save their telemetry data during the whole rocket flight phases (including at the rocket lift-off). The subsystems of the FloripaSat (1U CubeSat) engineering model have been tested on board a VSB-30 rocket in order to validate their design and integration process. A dedicated embedded system has been proposed to operate as an electronic interface between the nanosatellite subsystems and the rocket electronics. Also, a system to process telemetry data was implemented on the ground station. The test procedure validates data frame definition, communication protocol specification, hardware integration specification, among other functionalities. Three FloripaSat subsystems have been tested: Electrical Power Subsystem (EPS); Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C); and On Board Data Handling (OBDH). Several nanosatellites’ functions have been evaluated, including: battery monitoring; inertial measurement unit; temperature measurements; radio transceiver; and beacon. The flight results were considerably different from the results obtained at the laboratory. This has allowed important modifications to be made on the design of the CubeSat flight model as the revision on the radio circuit on TT&C and the implementation of an external battery charger circuit for the EPS.

Error Detection and Correction System (EDAC) of On Board Data Handling (OBDH) in Real Time Operating System Behaviour

The satellite requires the support of a robust sub system. On Board Data Handling (OBDH) is the core function of the satellite subsystem and has to be error free in managing the operation of the satellite. It should withstand the harsh environmental conditions in space that has a lot of hazards caused by radiations. In view of these two conditions, the OBDH design should be able to manage the operation and overcome the hazards of radiation. In order to manage the operation Real Time Operating System (RTOS) was applied. RTOS was able to manage the task efficiently and effectively. In the aerospace domain, RTOS has become popular because of its strength in managing the operating system. Error Detection and Correction System (EDAC) system was applied to make OBDH more robust. This paper discusses the implementation of the EDAC system in tandem with the RTOS behaviour to manage the operation and increase the robustness of the system. The findings show that OBDH can be programmed successfully using RTOS to handle critical and robust operations.

DSP implementation of integrated store-and-forward APRS payload and OBDH subsystems for low-cost small satellite

The developed system, based on the DSP (Digital Signal Processor), provides an integrated store-and-forward APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) payload and OBDH (On Board Data Handling) subsystems at a very low cost and on a single board with dimensions less than 10 cm × 10 cm, thereby enabling a new level of performance for CubeSat-class spacecraft. In this paper, we consider the problem of designing a low-complexity AFSK and GMSK modems for a satellite communication link where the constraints on satellite power budget, antenna size, and data rate are such that the available transmit power, aboard the Picosatellite, is 1 Watt. To cut down the cost of the Picosatellite, we give a particular attention to software optimization due to use of small amount of 8K words Radiation Hardness ROM memory containing the application program. We have defined a methodology approach based on two design steps: algorithmic optimization, and optimal programming using Assembler language. Due to the radiation in space and the constraints of the Picosatellite, some measures regarding volume, mass, power, cost and radiation tolerance, had to be taken into consideration when the system was designed.

Fault Tolerant Onboard Implementation of Control Procedures in Tethered Satellite

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the fault tolerant onboard implementation of control procedures in tethered satellite. The integration of data handling (DH) and AMCS Subsystems may be realized in different ways and three basic solutions have been considered for implementation in a tethered satellite and a summary of the tradeoff results is presented. In the most usual configuration, the on board data handling (OBDH) tasks are supplied by a central terminal unit (CTU) linked to remote terminal units (RTU) through the OBDH Bus. Two independent boxes, attitude monitoring electronics, and attitude control electronics support the AMCS control functions, and are linked to the OBDH through one of its RTUs. In the second configuration, the AMCS functions are performed by a processor based unit connected to the OBDH Bus. The sensors data, read by the OBDH Intelligent Terminal Unit, are processed by the AMCS dedicated ITU which may send also commands for the actuators devices. The further step is that of putting together DH, and AMCS control elements in the CTU.

Long duration hard X-ray transatlantic payload

This note describes the HXR80M large area hard X-Ray Astronomy experiment. The payload is scheduled for a flight on board of a transatlantic balloon to be launched the next July from the Milo Base (Sicily), in the framework of the CNR experimental transatlantic campaign. The detectors are two Multiwire Spectroscopic Proportional Chambers (MWSPC) having 2,700 cm 2 sensitive area each. The two detectors are filled with an extremely pure Xenon-Isobutane mixture (impurity less than 1ppm) at high pressure (3–6 Atm) in order to obtain good spectral resolution and high efficiency. The field of view of the MWSPC's is limited by an array of three collimators each, having respectively 8°×8° and 5°×5° FWHM. The on board data handling is performed by microprocessor controlled electronics. In particular a micro Multichannel Analyzer (μMCA) is employed to obtain the spectrum of the detected photons. The scientific and housekeeping data are send to ground through a 1.2 Kbit PCM HF Telemetry link. The scientific aim of the experiment is the survey of the sky belt around the 38th parallel and in particular the observation of faint galactic objects and galactic binary systems in the range 15–200 keV.

A Modular On-Board Data Handling System for Satellite Control Tasks

The implementation of attitude control system design is usually made by individually tailored electronics. Thus the risk and the development costs are considerably high. In order to overcome these short comings for the implementation of future control system modular on board datahandling system for multiple control tasks has been designed and developed for satellite and sounding rocket applications. The paper describes the performance of this fully programmable system and its application spectrum in future control systems.