General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems provided the payload control processor for the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) spacecraft, which was launched today at 3:02 a.m. PDT from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Calif. The processor will be used by the primary science instrument, a light detection and ranging (lidar) system. Data gathered will help NASA and other science communities better predict climate changes and improve weather forecasts. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD – News).
Once launched, a spacecraft depends on reliable electronics to maximize mission life. General Dynamics employs a three-level reliability strategy that avoids faults, allows continuous operation with failed or upset components and has functional redundancy. The expected duration of the CALIPSO mission is three years.
“Our payload control processor is the brains of the lidar instrument and provides tremendous processing speed in a reconfigurable design that is exceptionally hardened against radiation upsets,” said Jim Stockdale, vice president with the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems business unit for General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems.
General Dynamics’ single-board computer offers a preferred balance of processing speed, fault tolerance, weight and power consumption. The General Dynamics patented PowerPC(TM) based computer chip array includes a high-speed 240 MHz general-purpose processing engine that can operate in a harsh radiation environment. In addition, tightly integrated open systems offer the functionality normally required by three separate modules in a lower-cost single computer board.
General Dynamics provided the processor as part of its contract with Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp., who developed the lidar instrument to provide three-dimensional observations of clouds and small atmospheric particles. The CALIPSO spacecraft is one of four Earth-observing satellites that will fly in orbital formation to provide multiple observational approaches.
General Dynamics designs, develops, integrates, tests and manufactures the Integrated Spacecraft Computer product family, which includes modular processors, interfaces and power supplies, in Bloomington, Minn. That organization has provided spacecraft computers for more than 30 years and has delivered more than 60 on-board computers to various space programs. The Bloomington operation recently achieved the Software Engineering Institute’s (SEI) Capability Maturity Model® Integration (CMMI®) Level 5 rating — the highest rating attainable.
General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, headquartered in Arlington, Va., is a leading provider of transformational mission solutions in command, control, communications, and computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Customers include those in the defense, intelligence, homeland security and homeland defense communities. More information is available on the Internet at http://www.gd-ais.com.
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 72,200 people worldwide and had 2005 revenue of $21.2 billion. The company is a market leader in mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation. More information about the company can be found at http://www.generaldynamics.com.
