Roid Rage One Board, Two Brains
Oct 23, 2025
Dive into the fascinating world of deep space with insights on the DeepSpace-2 flight computer architecture! Discover the clever decision to split responsibilities between processors for better performance. Hear about using an NVIDIA Jetson for its thermal benefits and the challenges faced in periphery expansion. They delve into automation for testing and interface validation, along with strategies for protecting critical data. Plus, tune in for intriguing debates on competitive strategies in space mining and lighthearted listener Q&A!
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Flight Computer Is GNC Core
- The flight computer runs attitude control and navigation as the core of GNC.
- It integrates sensors and actuators via low-level flight software to execute control algorithms.
Two-Processor Architecture
- DeepSpace-2 splits responsibilities across two processors: a Jetson application processor and a Cortex-M7 microcontroller (SAM).
- The SAM handles power control and IO-heavy tasks while the Jetson runs higher-level GNC on Linux.
Prefer Lightweight Runtimes
- Use minimal runtime features when hard real-time constraints are absent to simplify development.
- Favor cooperative schedulers like Embassy when strict RTOS guarantees aren't required.