A General Purpose Experiment Controller for low cost Space Application
Abstract
Space activities are very expensive and include a high degree of risk. Nowadays, CubeSat missions represent a fast and inexpensive way to conduct scientific space research. These platforms are less expensive to develop and build than conventional satellites. There are ample demonstration that these platforms are well suited for a wide range of science missions in different fields, such as astrobiology, astronomy, atmospheric science, space weather and biology. This paper presents a hybrid "processor in an Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)" experiment/spacecraft controller for Cubesat missions. The system has two objectives, first is to obtain a multipurpose and easily customizable system aimed at processing the data from the widest kind of instruments and second, to provide the system with the highest processing capabilities in order to be able to perform complex onboard algorithms. Due to the versatility of the system and its reduced dimensions, it can be employed in different space platforms. The system is envisioned to be employed for the first time as the smart radio receiver for the upcoming NASA FireStation instrument. It is one of four experiments manifested to fly on an experiment pallet the U.S Department of Defense plans to deploy on the International Space Station in 2013. FireStation will continue analyzing the link between the Lightning and the Terrestrial Gamma Rays initiated by the FireFly Cubesat. The system is responsible for the management of a set of small Heliophysics instrumentats, including a photometer, magnetometer, and electric and magnetic field antennas. A description of the system architecture and its main features are presented. The main functional and performance tests during the integration and calibration phase of the instruments are also discussed.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFMSA13B2167G
- Keywords:
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- 7554 SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY / X-rays;
- gamma rays;
- and neutrinos;
- 7594 SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY / Instruments and techniques;
- 7934 SPACE WEATHER / Impacts on technological systems;
- 7949 SPACE WEATHER / Ionospheric storms