ECSS-E-50-12C, SPACE ENGINEERING, SPACEWIRE - LINKS, NODES, ROUTERS, AND NETWORKS (31-JUL-2008)

ECSS-E-50-12C, SPACE ENGINEERING, SPACEWIRE - LINKS, NODES, ROUTERS, AND NETWORKS (31-JUL-2008)., SpaceWire technology has grown organically from the needs of on‐board processing applications. This Standard provides a formal basis for the exploitation of SpaceWire in a wide range of future on‐board processing systems. One of the principal aims of SpaceWire is the support of equipment compatibility and reuse at both the component and subsystem levels. In principle a data‐handling system developed for an optical instrument, for example, can be used for a radar instrument by unplugging the optical sensor and plugging in the radar one. Processing units, mass‐memory units and down‐link telemetry systems developed for one mission can be readily used on another mission, reducing the cost of development, improving reliability and most importantly increasing the amount of scientific work that can be achieved within a limited budget. Integration and test of complex on‐board systems is also supported by SpaceWire with ground support equipment plugging directly into the on‐board data‐handling system. Monitoring and testing can be carried out with a seamless interface into the on‐board system. SpaceWire is the result of the efforts of many individuals within the European Space Agency, European Space Industry and Academia. This Standard addresses the handling of payload data and control information on board a spacecraft. It is a standard for a high speed data link, which is intended to meet the needs of future, high capability, remote sensing instruments and other space missions. SpaceWire provides a unified high speed data‐handling infrastructure for connecting together sensors, processing elements, mass‐memory units, downlink telemetry subsystems and EGSE equipment. The purpose of this Standard is: (I) to facilitate the construction of high‐performance on‐board data‐handling systems; (II) to help reduce system integration costs; (III) to promote compatibility between data‐handling equipment and subsystems; (IV) to encourage reuse of data‐handling equipment across several different missions. SpaceWire has taken into consideration two existing standards, IEEE 1355‐1995 and ANSI/TIA/EIA‐644. SpaceWire is specifically provided for use onboard a spacecraft.