How NASA built Artemis II's fault-tolerant computer system with eight redundant CPUs
By
@alearningaday
Crisped on the outside, thoughtful enough on the inside.
Summary
NASA's Artemis II spacecraft uses a highly redundant fault-tolerant computer system with eight CPUs running flight software in parallel. The Orion vehicle employs two Vehicle Management Computers, each containing two Flight Control Modules, with each module consisting of a self-checking pair of processors. The system follows a "fail-silent" design philosophy where if a CPU performs an incorrect operation, the entire pair shuts down silently, ensuring reliability for deep space missions.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledOrion utilizes two Vehicle Management Computers, each containing two Flight Control Modules, for a total of four FCMs.
each FCM consists of a self-checking pair of processors
Effectively, eight CPUs run the flight software in parallel.
The engineering philosophy hinges on a 'fail-silent' design.
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