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Linux Goes to Mars

Posted by michael on from the sort-of dept.

Erik Rauch writes "The European Beagle 2 Mars Lander, set to touch down on Mars on Christmas Day, will be controlled by a single Linux-based workstation. I wonder if the Spacecraft Control Operating System is free software?"

2 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. Article ./ed by coloclone · · Score: 3, Informative

    Article seems to be slashdotted:

    Text from similar article

    On 26 December, if all goes well and if a single workstation running Linux proves itself up to the task of running a space probe, the world will learn that "the Beagle has landed."

    The workstation in question is installed at the Lander Operations Control Centre, part of Britain's new National Space Center in Leicester, England. It uses something called SCOS (Spacecraft Control Operating System) which sits on top of Linux, and there are two more Linux-based systems as back-up.

    The "Beagle 2 Mars Lander," according to a report this morning at whatpc.co.uk, is scheduled to separate from the European Space Agency's Mars Express rocket on Friday, December 19, and is reckoned to have only a 50:50 chance of success. No fault of Linux - the actual landing site is one imponderable factor that could affect comms detrimentally if the Beagle 2 is unlucky. If all goes well, the landfall will take place at 08:51 EST on Christmas Day, December 25.

  2. Incorrectly titled article by somneo · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Beagle 2 is going to Mars. Linux is merely being used to run the SCOS program. If Linux were being used aboard the Beagle 2, then the title would be accurate. I think it's an important "mission critical" application though.