Architecture Overview

Previous  Top  Next

This chapter gives a brief description of the GSEOS internal structure and of its main features.

During the development of data processing units (DPU) for scientific space experiments, sophisticated test equipment is needed. In particular a spacecraft simulator (S/C Sim) is needed to simulate the electrical and logical interface between the experiment data processing unit (DPU) and the spacecraft data and power system. A computer which is connected to the spacecraft simulator emits control commands to the spacecraft simulator and receives DPU data from the simulator. The whole arrangement (computer & S/C Sim) is referred to as the Experiment Ground Support Equipment (EGSE).

Primary tasks of the EGSE are to send commands and to receive telemetry data from the connected hardware. GSEOS implements the following modules to provide this functionality:

·	Commanding.

Instrument and spacecraft commands can be send from an easy to configure user interface. Command menus allow hierarchical command structures, shortcut command buttons can be placed on any screen.

·	Data Monitoring.

Data items can be checked for limit violations and actions like operator notification can be performed upon detection.

·	Data Decoding.

Telemetry data can be decoded according to the instrument protocol stack. This allows visibility at all protocol levels. Derived data points are 'first-class' data points and can be displayed, monitored, recorded, and also further decoded.

·	Data Display.

Data items can be displayed on the screen in numerical and graphical formats. The data items can be organized in different windows which in turn can be arranged on various pages. This allows for a quick and easy structuring of you data. The graphical editor makes it very simple to rapidly design data display screens.

·	Data Archival.

The recorder module allows you to store any telemetry data as well as commands to mass storages in real-time. Conventional hard disks and optical disks can be used as mass storage devices. The simple tape recorder like user interface lets you record and play back data instantly. Huge amounts of data can quickly be navigated by the use for custom time bases.

·	Automatic test procedures.

GSEOS provides an easy interface to implement end-to-end testing. STOL (Spacecraft Testing and Operating Language) can be used to implement test scripts that issue commands and verify telemetry data.

·	Networking.

In payload integration or flight operation configurations data is often available through the MOC (Mission Operation Control) via a TCP/IP connection. GSEOS makes it easy to tap into these data streams and reuse your existing displays and scripts throughout the lifecycle of the mission. It also allows you to connect multiple GSEOS stations together in arbitraty configurations and to distribute the data onto different workstations or to remote control your instrument.

·	Scripting.

GSEOS uses the Python scripting language for system customization to your needs. Python is easy to learn and has a clear syntax that makes it easy to maintain the code.