Development Tools Help Rovers Get To Mars

Sept. 15, 2003
Green Hills Software's latest project is truly out of this world. Spirit and Opportunity, NASA's newest Martian rovers, are equipped with software written by engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory using Green Hills Software development tools....

Green Hills Software's latest project is truly out of this world. Spirit and Opportunity, NASA's newest Martian rovers, are equipped with software written by engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory using Green Hills Software development tools. Launched on June 10, Spirit will land on the Red Planet on January 3, 2004. Opportunity, sent up on July 7, will touch down on Mars on January 24, 2004.

"The two Mars rovers are essentially very sturdy, complex computers," said Green Hills Software vice president of engineering David Kleidermacher. "And like every computer, they need specific software programs to tell them how to perform all the complex functions of space flight, landing, and operation on the surface of Mars."

Of course, the mission presents some unique challenges. JPL's engineers used one set of Green Hills' development tools to rebuild the rovers' entire operating software. Before the rovers land, JPL engineers will use these tools again to build a new version of the operating software that will be uplinked to the spacecraft. This update will direct the rovers to precise landing targets on Mars and enable them to execute their scientific mission.

For more information, see www.ghs.com or www.jpl.nasa.gov.

See associated figure.

Sponsored Recommendations

Board-Mount DC/DC Converters in Medical Applications

March 27, 2024
AC/DC or board-mount DC/DC converters provide power for medical devices. This article explains why isolation might be needed and which safety standards apply.

Use Rugged Multiband Antennas to Solve the Mobile Connectivity Challenge

March 27, 2024
Selecting and using antennas for mobile applications requires attention to electrical, mechanical, and environmental characteristics: TE modules can help.

Out-of-the-box Cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity with AWS IoT ExpressLink

March 27, 2024
This demo shows how to enroll LTE-M and Wi-Fi evaluation boards with AWS IoT Core, set up a Connected Health Solution as well as AWS AT commands and AWS IoT ExpressLink security...

How to Quickly Leverage Bluetooth AoA and AoD for Indoor Logistics Tracking

March 27, 2024
Real-time asset tracking is an important aspect of Industry 4.0. Various technologies are available for deploying Real-Time Location.

Comments

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Electronic Design, create an account today!