Wind River
Carrier-Grade Linux Goes to Space
(18 June 2007) Wind River Systems,
Inc., the global leader in Device Software Optimization (DSO), today announced
that it has been selected by Honeywell Aerospace to support the development of
NASA's New Millennium Program Space Technology 8 (ST8) Dependable
Multiprocessor.
The contract marks the first time a Linux
platform has been selected by Honeywell for a space mission. Honeywell
Aerospace is the prime contractor for NASA's ST8 Dependable Multiprocessor
project. Wind River Platform for Network Equipment, Linux Edition, will be the
underlying operating system to support the processing of science and experiment
data onboard the ST8 spacecraft.
The Dependable Multiprocessor is a
game-changing technology that will create a new generation of "smart"
spacecraft and robotics for future exploration missions conducted by NASA.
Composed of a state-of-the-art commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)-based
supercomputer architecture capable of incorporating both on-chip and FPGA-based
algorithmic co-processors, Dependable Multiprocessor technology can
autonomously and adaptively configure the level of fault tolerance applied to
the COTS-based computer system in response to constantly changing mission
environments and the criticality of the mission application. The Dependable
Multiprocessor will allow the spacecraft to process and analyse its own data to
make instant decisions about what is observed without having to send the
information to Earth and wait for a reply.
"Honeywell is pleased to work
with Wind River in the development of our Dependable Multiprocessor," said Dr.
John R. Samson, Jr., Principal Engineering Fellow at Honeywell Defense and
Space. "As space missions continue to become more complex and demanding, it is
critical that the onboard computing equipment be built to handle the intense
data processing and analysis that is required. As a result of the demonstration
of COTS in the ST8 flight experiment, the application of Dependable
Multiprocessor technology is expected to yield unparalleled benefits for years
to come, particularly in the reduction of development time, cost, and risk of
future space systems."
"One of the biggest challenges when developing a
dependable multiprocessor is enabling a COTS board to work in the harsh
conditions in space," said Rob Hoffman, Vice President and General Manager,
Aerospace & Defense at Wind River. "Wind River is thrilled to have been
selected by Honeywell for such an incredible project. Customers like Honeywell
continue to choose Wind River technology because of our ability to provide
dependable, reliable, and most importantly, thoroughly-tested software
solutions."
Any material put into space is subject to variable
accelerations, mechanical shock and vibration, harsh vacuum conditions, extreme
temperatures, and often, intense particle and electromagnetic radiation. Wind
River Platform for Network Equipment, Linux Edition, running in conjunction
with GoAhead SelfReliant Software, which provides high availability middleware,
and Honeywell's Dependable Multiprocessing Middleware on Extreme Engineering
Solutions' XPedite6031 boards, will support the demonstration of high
availability and high reliability operation for the ST8 Dependable
Multiprocessor experiment.
The ST8 mission is scheduled for launch in
November 2009, with an expected duration of at least seven months consisting of
two phases, including a one-month commissioning phase and a six-month
experiment phase. The mission consists of four independent experiments,
including the Dependable Multiprocessor on a common spacecraft bus being
provided by Orbital Sciences Corporation. The Dependable Multiprocessor
experiment will validate a computer system architectural approach that allows
application flexibility by applying robust control of the high performance COTS
cluster, enhanced software-based SEU (Single Event Upset) tolerance, and
user-selectable redundancy only to the level required by the environment and
the criticality of the task or computation.
About Wind River Platform
for Network Equipment, Linux Edition
Wind River Platform for Network
Equipment, Linux Edition, is a commercial-grade Linux solution for device
development and deployment. The platform contains a fully tested and validated
Linux distribution based on Linux 2.6 kernel technology. It is an open,
cross-build system, leveraging "pristine source" packages and managing
individual patches to transparently build the Linux run-time distribution for a
specific device.
The platform combines a high performance kernel
environment with powerful networking applications, file systems, management and
security features. Wind River Platform for Network Equipment also includes the
Eclipse-based Wind River Workbench development suite, customer education to
help jump-start your projects, a specialised professional services team and
24/7 global technical support.
About Wind River
Wind River is the
global leader in Device Software Optimization (DSO). Wind River enables
companies to develop, run and manage device software faster, better, at lower
cost and more reliably. Wind River platforms are pre-integrated, fully
standardised, enterprise-wide development solutions. They reduce effort, cost
and risk and optimise quality and reliability at all phases of the device
software development process, from concept to deployed product.
Founded
in 1981, Wind River is headquartered in Alameda, California, with operations
world-wide.
(source: Wind River)