An integrated microspacecraft avionics architecture using 3D multichip module building blocks

In this paper, we describe current results from work in progress on the continued miniaturization of all spacecraft electronics into a single avionics system, using building-block elements. Each element is assumed to be a `slice´ within a stackable multichip module (MCM) 3D-architecture. The proposed architecture is new for the space community, but, is familiar to the commercial world. That is, we have proposed the use of only standard commercial interfaces for both the local (inter-slice) bus, inter-node system bus, and all the other interfaces for module testing and integration. Moreover, only commercially available programming languages, operating systems and software development environments are considered. The goal is to provide high levels of system reliability at a low cost. We plan to achieve this goal by applying hardware redundancy where necessary, and by maintaining a commercially compatible architecture that will achieve reliability through high volume production and mass usage. The first opportunity to validate the proposed spacecraft avionics system will be in July 1998 on-board the Deep-Space One asteroid-flyby mission. This will be the first in a series of high-tech missions within the New Millennium Program managed by the Jet propulsion Laboratory