Research database

"Today, the amount of telemetry data from the sensors in the upper stages of a launch vehicle is very restricted, due to limited on-board-computing capacities combined with limited data bandwidth to ground. As a result, no detailed information about the various phases of the flight is available. Massively extended Modular Monitoring for Upper Stages (MaMMoTH-Up) will improve the amount of monitored data by a factor of more than 2500 by integrating four key objectives, which are 1. a self-configuring monitoring framework that will selectively observe, pre-process, and compress sensor data, 2. Components off the Shelf (COTS) that provide improved computing performance on a launcher, 3. design solutions guaranteeing the required levels of dependability, even when using relatively unreliable COTS components, and 4. a tight coupling with advanced dependability analysis. Achieving these 4 goals is scientifically and practically highly relevant. A demonstrator at TRL 6 will show the advantages of the new monitoring infrastructure and a virtual prototype proves the advanced dependability enhancements. Thus, MaMMoTH-Up will provide a framework and a proof-of-concept for next-generation avionics solutions for a launcher based on COTS. Moreover, the work plan provides the path to realization, potentially including a demo-flight at the end of the project. The proposed technology is complementary with on-going launcher developments. The usage of COTS will represent a direct advantage over competitors; this will decrease time-to-market and decrease the European dependence on external suppliers. MaMMoTH-Up directly addresses the call COMPET-2-2014 by providing an innovative avionics solution for safer and more reliable launch operations for conventional launching systems. The solution developed within MaMMoTH-Up strengthens competitiveness and cost-efficiency having an immediate commercial potential."