Messages in this thread | | | Date | Fri, 24 Aug 2012 13:18:46 -0700 | From | Craig Milo Rogers <> | Subject | Space-Certified CPUs and Linux |
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On 12.08.24, Theodore Ts'o wrote: > Random question. As I recall the Space Shuttle and the International > Space Station was only using 80386's because they have to be hardened > against radiation/cosmic rays, as well as all of the other mechnical > and thermal stresses associated with being in a spacecraft. Is there > any newer generation cpu's which are space-cerified at this point?
The MAESTRO processor is a rad-hard-by-design variant of the Tilera architecture, intended for space applications. Linux runs on it.
The Mongoose-V is a rad-hard MIPS R3000 processor. It can run VxWorks, made by Wind River (a subsidiary of Intel since 2009).
http://www.synova.com/proc/mg5.html
Rad-hard Power PCs are the current space workhorse. Several variants are available. NASA has run Linux on at least one of them in space, but I believe that VxWorks is more the norm.
> (Of course, I'm rather doubtful that NASA would ever be willing to use > Linux on something like the Curiosity Mars Rover, but I could imagine > Linux being used in a non-mission critcal system on the ISS....)
Linux has been use on scientific equipment sent to the ISS. Not, I think, on the avionics.
Curiosity runs VxWorks, as do the SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon.
Craig Milo Rogers
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