Onboard Data Handling

Gert Caspersen
Terma A/S
gec@terma.com
Objectives

Introduction of onboard data

handling concepts and
characteristics
What Will be Said

S Satellite Elements
S Characteristics
S Purpose
S Operations
S Logical Model
S Architecture
S Functions
S rsted onboard data handling
S Robustness
S Software Development
S Pitfalls
S Rsum
Satellite Elements
Purpose
Logistics
S Power distribution
S Commanding
S Time synchronisation
S Status reporting

Communication
S With ground
S On satellite

Autonomy
S Handle platform & payload without ground contact

Anomaly Handling
S Maintain mission objectives
S Prevent loss of satellite
Characteristics
Limited Resources
S Processing power
S Memory
S Bandwidth on busses

Embedded Real-Time Software

S Hard real-time requirements
S Numerous events & actions
S Boot-strap software & application software
S No operating system (bare platform)

Hostile Environment
S Fault prevention
S Fault tolerance
 Operations
Command Time Line
Operations Satellite
Procedures

Operators
Spacelink

Control Centre Ground Station

Network
Rmer Data Handling Context
TEST RWA
0

FM
CHU
RWA
1
MONS
DPU RWA

Re dundant Data Bus

MONS
CHU
2

RWA
3
DEBUG

STR
CHU1

CDH
STR
CHU2
PCDU

ANT1

COM
ANT2
Subsystems
Exercise: The Black Box

Perceive a computer with a piece of embedded

software.

It is a block box revealing only a limited amount of

status information.

What status information shall be available to assess the

integrity of:

1: Hardware

2: Software
Logical Model: Abstraction

Service
Provider 1
Service
Provider 2
... Service
Provider n

Serv ice Request

Serv ice Reports

Onboard
Traffic
M anagement

Service Requests

Service Reports

Service
User 1
Service
User 2
... Service
User n
Logical Model: Implementation
Space Segment

Remote
Subsystem

Local Provided
Provided Services
Subsystem
Services

Application
Process 2 ... Application
Process N
Provided
Services
Telecom mand

Application Telem etry

Process 1

Onboard
Traffic
M anagement
Data Handling & Control System

Telecom mand

Telem etry

Control
Centre 1
Control
Centre 2
... Control
Centre N

Ground Segment
ESA Standards

Packet Telecommand Standard

S Protocol for uplink: Ground segment  Space segment
S Stream of telecommand packets

Packet Telemetry Standard

S Protocol for downlink: Space segment  Ground segment
S Stream of telemetry packets

Packet Utilisation Standard

S Application layer: Ground segment vs. Space segment
S Logical model for satellite operation
 Telecommand/Telemetry Formats

Head Tail

Sequence
Telecommand Destination ID
Counter
Command Type Data Checksum

Head Tail

Sequence
Telemetry Originator ID Telemetry Type Time Stamp Data Checksum
Counter
Functions

S Telecommand verification
S Housekeeping data collection
S Event reporting
S Memory read/write
S Function activation/deactivation
S Time synchronisation
S Command time line
S Parameter monitoring
S Telemetry storage
 Telecommand Verification

Telecommand Verification Service

S Success/failure of telecommand execution
S Error code
S Telecommand identification

Telemetry

Telecommand Packet Source

Code Parameters
Acceptance/Completion Packet ID Control

Telecommand Packet Source

Progress Step Number Code Parameters
Packet ID Control
Housekeeping Data Collection

Housekeeping & Diagnostics Data Reporting

S Periodic reading of parameter values
S Reporting of temporally coherent values
S Typical period: 60 seconds

Telemetry

Housekeeping Report
SID Parameters
Event Reporting

Event Reporting
S Nominal events
S Anomalies/errors

Telemetry

RID Parameters
Event Report
 Memory Read/Write

Memory Management
S Reading/writing/verification
S Software updates (patching)
S Debugging/diagnostics

Telecommand Telemetry

Load Memory ID N Start Address Data

Memory ID N Start Address Data

Dump Memory ID N Start Address Length

Memory ID N Start Address Length Memory ID N Start Address Length Checksum

Checksum
Function Activation/Deactivation

Function Management
S Activation/deactivation of functions, modes etc.
S Execution of activities
S Functions identified by ASCII-string

Telecommand

Activate Funtion Function ID Parameters

Deactivate Funtion Function ID

Perform Activity Function ID Activity ID Parameters

Time Synchronisation

Time Reporting
S Generate time reports containing time stamp
S Report related to event on downlink
S Period based on required accuracy

Telemetry

Time Report Satellite

Time
 Command Time Line

Onboard Scheduling
S Time line of telecommands
S Executed when due
S Updated based on operational schedule/time line

Telecommand Telemetry

Insert Telecommand Abs/Rel Time Telecommand

N
Tag Packet ...

Delete Telecommands Range Time Tag 1 Time Tag 2

Abs/Rel Time Application Sequence

N
Report Schedule Tag Process ID Count
Parameter Monitoring

Onboard Monitoring
S Periodic reading of parameter values
S Comparison against nominal range
S Report deviations
S Initiate error handling

Telemetry

Out-of-Limit report N Parameter#

Parameter
Value
Limit Crossed Transition Time
...
Telemetry Storage

Onboard Storage & Retrieval

S Storage of telemetry
S Inserted in downlink during ground contact
S Separate stores for different telemetry types
S Prioritised read-out
Exercise: Autonomy

Communication between satellite and control centre is

possible 2 times 10 minutes per day.

The remaining time it must survive on its own.

What anomalies/event/situations should your satellite

be able to handle autonomously?
Software Architecture

Onboard Storage Platform Telecommand

Administrator Manager Scheduler

Packet
Ground Ground I/F Payload Payload
Router

Power
Attitude Control
Conditioning &
System
Distribution

Actuators PCDU
& Sensors Subsystem
rsted
rsted onboard data handling
Hard Real-Time HOOD

Fomral RAISE specifications

Automatic code generation + manual programming

Ada 83

Scehdulability analysis: Deadline monotonic scheduling

In-Circuit emulator for software validation

Incremental development: Simulators  prototypes 

final product
Ariane 501

S Error in Inertial Reference System

S 64-bit float  16-bit integer = Overflow
S Chain of errors:
S Reuse from Ariane 4; No revalidation
S No exception handling
S Post-mortem dump  Valid input for data handling software
 Robustness

Software Robustness Engineering

Fault Prevention Fault Removal Fault Tolerance

Fault Analysis Supporting Restricting Static Fault Dynamic Fault Error Error
Methods & Tools Methods & Tools Removal Removal Detection Recovery
Pitfalls

Interfaces: Focus from day one

Bidets: Estimate and survey

Schedulability: Estimate and survey

Fault tolerance: Keep it simple, stupid! (KISS)

Verification & validation: Unit test, integration test,

system test ...
Rsum

Embedded real-time software  Tasking kernel

Real-time requirements  Schedulability analysis

Fault tolerance  Fail-stop

Numerous interfaces  Interface control documents

Verification  Simulators & prototypes

Keep it simple, stupid!