The EPD instrument control unit
Abstract
The EPD experiment aims to measure the composition, spectra, timing and distribution functions of suprathermal and energetic particles. The main scientific topics to be addressed include the sources, acceleration mechanisms, and transport processes of these particles. This experiment is an instrument suite consisting of several sensors measuring electrons, protons and ions over a broad energy interval (2 keV to 15 MeV for electrons, 3 keV to 100 MeV for protons and few tens of keV/nuc to 450 MeV/nuc for ions), that is part of the Solar Orbiter payload. Solar Orbiter is the first medium-class mission of ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 Programme. All operations of the instrument are handled by the EPD Instrument Control Unit (ICU), which is composed of a Common Data Processing Unit (CDPU) and a LVPS (Low Voltage Power Supply). The CPU of the experiment is based on a LEON2 architecture (a SPARC V8 implementation) running the RTEMS real time operating system. The main purpose of the ICU is to control and communicate the sensors (EPT, HET, SIS and STEP) with the spacecraft. Communications between EPD and the satellite are performed via a SpaceWire links. Data acquisition from the sensors is performed via a UART/LVDS 115200 bps interface. In this work, we describe the ICU of the experiment and the general software scheme.
- Publication:
-
42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- July 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018cosp...42E2960S