In-Flight maintenance for System-on-Chip based computers
Programme
TDE
Programme Reference
T702-703SW
Prime Contractor
GMV AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE, SA
Start Date
End Date
Status
Closed
Country
Spain
Objectives
To define new services and operations for maintaining on-board System-on-Chip computers
Description
On-board systems are on the verge making use of state-of-the art multi-core processors and FPGA technologies that encompass multiple functional blocks and features. The investigations on how to exploit such technologies was started in the three-ways TRP activities (T701-504ED, T702-502SW, T705-504EC) under the umbrella of Compact Reconfigurable Avionics. In such systems, the Software running on multiple-cores can be tightly coupled to functions implemented in the reconfigurable FPGA. The interactions between SW components and the corresponding HW functionality become exponentially more complex. Dynamic state management needs to be taken into account to guarantee that the HW reprogramming and SW update are orchestrated in a precise and timely controlled manner.
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The activity aims at covering all the aspects related to the update of the Software and FPGA on-board a spacecraft.
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This encompasses the following tasks:
- Perform a system analysis for identifying future mission needs and constraints related to the HW and SW updates (e.g. availability of the system during the update, on-board storage, configuration management, authentication, etc.).
- Identify the representative use cases allowing verifying the proposed approach.
- Specification of the update process and software covering both Ground and Space segments compliant to ECSS-E-ST-70-41C (Telemetry and telecommand packet utilization).
- Detailed design and implementation on a relevant hardware platform using state of the art space qualified processor and FPGA (potentially combined into a SoC).
- Demonstration of the use cases and assessment of the results, identification of lessons learned.
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Software shall be delivered under an ESA Software Community Licence, so that any individuals or entities within ESA Member States can access to it and can provide update to the community of users.
Application Domain
Generic Technologies
Technology Domain
2 - Space System Software
Competence Domain
3-Avionic Systems
Initial TRL
TRL 2
Target TRL
TRL 4
Public Document