Data Processing and Storage for PnP Spacecraft

Design_Net Engineering is developing a modular, configurable network-resident data storage module called the Intelligent Data Store (IDS). The IDS was developed to serve as a stock component in an Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) depot, where it can be rapidly pulled from the shelf and placed on satellites conforming to the Space Plug and Play Avionics (SPA) standards. The IDS design incorporates both FLASH memory for persistent on-orbit storage and SDRAM for high-rate data buffering. The “I” in IDS stands for “Intelligent”, which implies the ability to provide significantly more capability than a conventional solid state data recorder. In fact, the IDS performs much of the function of a traditional Command and Data Handling (C&DH) subsystem, allowing telemetry buffers to be allocated by applications on the network, and then drained based upon specified search criteria such as source or time range. Phase II effort will focus on radiation hardening the design to make the IDS suitable for the full range of ORS mission classes, including the HEO environment. Each IDS unit will be configurable in data capacities of approximately 4 Gigabyte increments from .5 to 12.5 Gigabytes.