Roid Rage Code That Can't Crash (Literally)
Apr 17, 2025
Dive into the intricate world of flight software with engineering experts discussing the challenges of building reliable systems for deep space missions. Discover how they decided on the NVIDIA Xavier CPU, and the benefits of Rust in reducing memory bugs. Learn about the complexities of microservices in space tech and the importance of thorough testing. The conversation even touches on balancing curiosity with reliability, illuminating the unique qualities of successful flight software engineers.
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Robust Space Communication Protocol
- Kieran built a communication protocol that ensures no data chunks are lost or partially executed in commands to the spacecraft.
- This robust solution is vital given the long two-hour delay to send commands in deep space.
Flight Software as Infrastructure
- Flight software acts as critical infrastructure plumbing, connecting sensors and actuators to control the spacecraft.
- It provides a stable foundation for the guidance, navigation, and control systems.
Tough Bugs Found Late
- Nathan faced a two-week debugging issue caused by a half-duplex vs full-duplex RS485 bus configuration.
- Kieran fixed a file upload bug where missing a buffer clear broke the chunk reassembly, caught during mock rehearsals.