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International Space Station computer gets a heart transplant

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Re: International Space Station computer gets a heart transplant

#11

Post by rootbear »

tr352 wrote: post #6

I wonder what kind of hardware and software (CPU and OS) we’re talking about here.

It was remarkably difficult to dig up any specifics on this. But I finally found the linked PDF below. It says this about the DMS-R:

"Another example is EADS DMS-R, a computer board based on ERC32 (Atmel TSC695) processor, and a fault-tolerant TMR version using 3 boards for the ATV of the ISS (Autonomous Transport Vehicle of the International Space Station)."

I looked up the Atmel chip and it is a radiation hardened implementation of the SPARC v7 architecture. I was a little surprised it wasn't a RAD6000, since I saw elsewhere that BAE was involved. Their RAD line of hardened Power PC processors is quite popular in spacecraft systems.

https://webee.technion.ac.il/~ran/papers/SurveySpaceProcesso...

Re: International Space Station computer gets a heart transplant

#12

Post by barkingcat »

tonyedgecombe wrote: post #7
hvidgaard wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you read the article? If you did you'd know that they run two computers. If one fail, a third automatically activates and the faulty is disabled. They also keep a fourth to swap out the failed one. But it still doesn't change the fact that swapping out with a completely new specification can have unintended consequences. They waited until a computer failed to swap, so if it did not work, they'd run at reduced red…

Did you read the article? From the HN guidelines: Please don't comment on whether someone read an article. "Did you even read the article? It mentions that" can be shortened to "The article mentions that."

Nobody reads anything on HN, guidelines included.

Re: International Space Station computer gets a heart transplant

#13

Post by jniedrauer »

giggitytex wrote: post #2

So fun to read. In my early career I used to think that replacing memory in servers used for production was risky. What if I could not get it done in time? Chaos! Later I worked in a refinery when replacing mission critical items could seriously mean injury or death if mishandled. What if I made a mistake? Chaos! Now, I realize what I was doing was child's play!

I've worked on financial platforms for most of my career. It's a strange feeling to know that a mistake will delete someone else's money. I always thought I had it hard. But that the end of the day, it's not "real". Certainly not life-critical. Working on something like this has got to be on a whole other level.

Re: International Space Station computer gets a heart transplant

#15

Post by ceejayoz »

EddieCPU wrote: post #14

From my days as a repair techie, sounds like just another board-pulling call-out job, I could do it for $343 (per hour) including VAT. But NASA would have to provide transport.

Does your business insurance cover equipment valued at $100B, though?

Re: International Space Station computer gets a heart transplant

#16

Post by dmd »

jniedrauer wrote: post #13
giggitytex wrote: post #2

So fun to read. In my early career I used to think that replacing memory in servers used for production was risky. What if I could not get it done in time? Chaos! Later I worked in a refinery when replacing mission critical items could seriously mean injury or death if mishandled. What if I made a mistake? Chaos! Now, I realize what I was doing was child's play!

I've worked on financial platforms for most of my career. It's a strange feeling to know that a mistake will delete someone else's money. I always thought I had it hard. But that the end of the day, it's not "real". Certainly not life-critical. Working on something like this has got to be on a whole other level.

It can absolutely be life-critical, for people living paycheck to paycheck.
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