Astrobotic Software Defined Reliability (ACO-ASDR)
Project Description
Astrobotic is developing a software-defined reliability system (A-SDR) for high performance, high reliability computing. Traditional radiation hardening techniques introduce significant delays between processor advances and availability for spaceflight applications. A-SDR uniquely allows high-throughput processing to be integrated with real-time control systems while ensuring correctness under radiation induced single event effects. This is enabled by application of modern distributed systems advances developed for the "cloud" to embedded real-time computing. "Virtual Synchrony" allows a cluster of processors to compare state and observations without a master and with low latency. Astrobotic's proof of concept is a demonstration of a high throughput convolutional deep neural network performing reliable handwriting recognition at 25 Hz with randomly inserted data errors. This concept has been demonstrated to operate in real-time in a virtualized three node configuration and on embedded COTS processors connected through Gigabit Ethernet. The objective of this task is to leverage NASA's expertise in redundant computing, real-time systems, and radiation tolerant electronics to mature Astrobotic's software proof of concept into a product-ready TRL 6 system and design a preliminary reference hardware design. Astrobotic is investing in this technology development because it believes it can utilize its software expertise and experience in space computing selection to produce a product that is appropriately positioned at the nexus of capability, reliability, ease of use, and price.
More »Anticipated Benefits
This product, which is critical to the company's own ambitions, will enable spacecraft to perform more autonomous in-space activities. A successful program will allow Astrobotic to capture a large percentage of the growing spaceflight computation market, which is projected to be worth $1.1B by 2020. This capability also has broad applicability to future NASA and OGA spaceflight and terrestrial applications as the autonomy and computing needs of manned and unmanned vehicles grows. With Core Flight Executive integration, NASA developers will be able to rapidly deploy both general purpose and mission specific flight software to COTS hardware in a reliable manner. The scalability of A-SDR also enables robust processing for cubesats and small satellites to minimize end-user software complexity, maximize onboard computing performance, minimize downlink bandwidth.
More »Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Goddard Space Flight Center
(GSFC)
|
Lead Organization | NASA Center | Greenbelt, Maryland |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Virginia
