European Workshop on On-Board Data Processing (OBDP2019)

High-performance on-board computer and comms for cubesats

Not scheduled

1h

Erasmus (European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC))

Poster presentation On-Board Data Processing Systems and Architectures Poster Session and Exhibit

Speaker

Dr Juan Ramos-Castro (IEEC-UPC)

Description

We present a new On-Board-Computer (OBC) for nanosats (cubesats and like) based on two redundant processing modules. A high-end FPGA SoC module connected to a Software Defined Radio module provides high computing capabilities and implementation of versatile communication protocols or flexible receivers as GNSS, Radiometry, etc. A second module with a microcontroller with flight heritage manages the house keeping tasks of the nanosat and communicates through a high speed channel with the FPGA SoC modules. It includes a redundant communication system for low speed uplink/downlink.
The expertise of the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) team from previous space missions: LISA Pathfinder, the 3Cat series cubesats (from UPC NanoSat Lab), Solar Orbiter and Gaia, provides a robust desing that can be adapted to different commercial and scientific uses.
This solution will push the cubesat concept to its limits, allowing to achieve performances for which larger-sized missions would be required otherwise.