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RedHat eCOS Flies in Space

Posted by michael on from the flies-in-space dept.

Brindafella writes "Brindafella reports that Redhat is flying in space as the OS for Canada's Smallest Satellite: The Canadian Advanced Nanospace eXperiment (CanX-1)[300k PDF], one of the flock of 1kg pico-satellites launched on 1 July 03 by a Russian rocket. Redhat eCos stands for embedded Configurable operating system, an open source real-time operating system (eCos Home Page). See the eCos Programmer's Guide for the CubeSat Computer: Introduction, Hardware Model, Development Setup, and Loading the eCos. The CANX-1 site at the University of Toronto, Canada gives more details, such as: The satellite is a 10cm cube, with a mass less than one kilogram; The satellite will generate about two Watts of peak power using direct energy conversion; Main Computer Board - Atmel AT91R40807 based on ARM7TDMI Thumb Processor, 40 MHz, 1 MB SRAM, 32 MB Flash, 200 mW max, 98 x 96 x 8 mm."

25 comments

  1. Better not have the swap... by shibbydude · · Score: 1

    on the flash memory. I would think that flash memory would be a bad choice for information gathering/constant read/write cycles. Does anyone know how long flash will last? Although these probably are expendable.

    --
    We're only gonna die from our own arrogance, that's why we might as well take our time...
    1. Re:Better not have the swap... by spencerogden · · Score: 1

      I doubt a real time system uses any swap. In a real time system you usually spec out before hand what apps are going to run and what resource in what amount they need. So they would know exactly how much ram they need.

      --

      Spencer Ogden

    2. Re:Better not have the swap... by torpor · · Score: 3, Informative

      Lets just say they used good FLASH, and no swap (eCOS needs no swap).

      The FLASH is probably only for uploading new program code to run the instruments onboard - I doubt they're using it for realtime storage, since that'd best be done downstairs. Since typical FLASH systems can withstand 10,000 or so re-writes before things go bitty, and presumably these guys used good stuff, I'd say thats enough for a lot of program updates.

      --
      ; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
  2. And what is cool about this approach... by jwdg · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ... is that it is allowing students (albeit mainly postgraduates) to actually try out new satellite concepts on a space platform.

    This could have very positive effects for the overall cost of satellite technology - Mistakes are currently sooooo expensive! (Hopefully you can launch a little cluster of these fairly cheaply by piggybacking on other payloads).

    I wonder if they'll sell me one :)

    1. Re:And what is cool about this approach... by pingbak · · Score: 2, Interesting

      That's exactly what NASA and DARPA were thinking last year.

      However, there's more to the package than meets the eye. In the Endeavor package, we launched a pair of picosats tethered together by 50' of kevlar embedded with gold to get the antenna cross section up.

      While picosats do get the cost down, development still isn't particularly inexpensive.

    2. Re:And what is cool about this approach... by jwdg · · Score: 2, Insightful
      I accept that the development cost is still high - but the reuse of a common platform (for basic comms, power, navigation (if applicable) infrastructure) helps. I notice that ESA has built Mars Express on a standard "bus" that they hope can be reused for other interplanetary missions (e.g. to Venus).

      The consequence of increasing knowledge of space technology is that parts of it can maybe be a little more routine (though still scary/exciting when you think that your code - possibly bugs and all - is in space!)

  3. They're using Red Hat?! by Mordant · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can't wait for the news headline - "Satellite lost due to unresolved RPM dependencies . . ." ;>

    1. Re:They're using Red Hat?! by drudd · · Score: 1

      I think if the satellite crashes, that pretty much resolves any dependecy problems now doesn't it :)

      --
      Venn ist das nurnstuck git und Slotermeyer? Ya! Beigerhund das oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!
  4. I am SO SORRY by zoloto · · Score: 1

    But doesn't the picture on THIS page HERE look like a Borg cube?

    Kidding aside, this is definitely a project I'll be lurking for a long while.

    1. Re:I am SO SORRY by asdfx · · Score: 1

      http://www.utias-sfl.net/code/cubesats/images/

      there's several pictures there, including a better quality 'borg' picture or two.

  5. Direct Engery Conversion?? by molo · · Score: 1

    WTF is direct enegery conversion? Conversion from what?

    --
    Using your sig line to advertise for friends is lame.
    1. Re:Direct Engery Conversion?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      improbability drive.

      (or maybe just solar)

    2. Re:Direct Engery Conversion?? by pingbak · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's called "solar power".

  6. Why not Linux? by mnmn · · Score: 0, Troll


    On an ARM7 you can run Linux given a few more megabytes of space which couldnt be expensive or bulky. Considering the number of things you can do with Linux, its probably worth it.

    I'm really wondering if I can pay to launch a small satellite with a tiny laser pointer that can point on various ground locations, and have it point close to me, and watch the spot on the ground at night.

    --
    "Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
    1. Re:Why not Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Next Slashdot article: First KDE compile done in space!

  7. Atmel Processor Board by beholder77 · · Score: 1

    It would be cool if they sold some of these boards for the rest of us to play with, so we can say we "hack satellite control systems" :)

    The price on these Atmel cpu's at Digi-key is pretty good ~$30, but they seem to be obsolete. I'd put a board together myself, but it's well beyond my current electronics skills.

    Speaking of Atmel, if anyone is interested in getting started on playing with embedded systems for cheap, they sell a nice line of 8 bit RISC (don't laugh, I'm serious) microcontrollers called AVR's. There is even a GCC and libc for it. No linux yet though ;)

    --
    Success is as dangerous as failure, hope as hollow as fear.
  8. Red Hat in Space??! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


    wow! It's cool to see Red Hat promoting Linux for the space program. Did NASA help fund this work? Is this part of the Mars rover or the new shuttle replacement project?

    1. Re:Red Hat in Space??! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      eCos is not anything to do with Linux. It's not even anything to do with Red Hat any more.

      Read this slashdot article.

  9. I noticed... by JasonMaggini · · Score: 1

    ...there's no mention of a RAID array. I guess they're still gathering
    research for that.

  10. Earlier picosat technology by pingbak · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I was involved in a DARPA picosat effort last year; I can actually say my code launched off Endeavor back on December 12th. Our picosats also used the ARM as the "main host" on the stack, had 8MB of flash, used a Rockwell/Conexant digital cordless telephone chip for the radio boards. I seem to recall we used vxWorks for our main host. I wrote the Conexant-related comms code.

    At the time, the company I work for "unexpectedly" inherited the picosat project from another NASA and DARPA contractor. Embedded Linux wasn't really an option since we had a lot to do in very little time.

    Writing code that flew in space definitely rocked!

    1. Re:Earlier picosat technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, if it crashes, we can blame it on you.

    2. Re:Earlier picosat technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      eCos isn't embedded Linux though. It's a completely separate RTOS. Redhat don't even own it any more so the subject is wrong!

    3. Re:Earlier picosat technology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, but this is slashdot ... MIS-information at it's finest! =)

  11. STS-113 Endeavor picosat photos by pingbak · · Score: 2, Informative

    I forgot to include this in my earlier posting: STS-113 pre-flight and picosat launch photos

    Enjoy!

  12. Mubin rav to Sloc by ratfynk · · Score: 1
    Att; Message incoming from Mubin rav...

    Sloc unidentified Canadian satellite, response code emergency.

    Sloc to Mubin rav message recieve proceeding with analysis of device....

    Mubin rav; Proceed.

    Sloc to Mubin rav;...Unable to communicate with human coded control device! Device is using unfamiliar uncrackable interface.

    Mubin rav; destroy unfamiliar possibly hostile device.

    Sloc to Mubin rav; device destroyed, reporting unusual occurance to Earth based co-ordination centre http://www.nasa.gov/ for analysis.

    --
    OH THE SHAME I fell off the wagon and use sigs again!