Nanosatellites

2 I-2aOn-board Computer and Data Handling

Jaime Estela¹, and Sergio Montenegro²

¹Spectrum Aerospace Group, Germering, Germany

²Chair of Computer Science VIII, University Würzburg, Germany

2.1 Introduction

In the early years of the Space Era, rudimentary data processing units supported the control of all electronic and electromechanical units in satellites. Starting with the first sounding rockets and satellite launchers, analog computers were present in the evolution of space systems [1]. The V-2 German rocket was used for guidance control of an analog computer based on an electronic integrator and differentiator. The early Russian rocket R-7 Semyorka (8K71) was using the board computer “Kvarts” for trajectory calculation since 1958 [2]. At that time, due to the reduced calculation capability available, part of the calculation tasks was done on the ground. With the development of modern electronics and the increasing demand of new space systems, more autonomy was needed in such systems. With the improvement of the nanosatellite technology, such systems can achieve more and more complex space missions. Nowadays, supercomputers are going to be tested on the International Space Station (ISS). The evolution of the board computers is going toward high-performance and high-capacity autonomous systems. In short, the use and proof of nanosatellites, which are small and cheap to build and launch, lead to new technologies and electronics, and these innovations make nanosatellites powerful ...