The pulse of innovation » Application Story « VME in Aerospace Kontron supplies multi-processor VME solution to power the world’s most accurate satellite navigation system Galileo goes into orbit The world’s latest and most advanced Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Galileo, is now in its test and validation phase. At the heart of the system’s Ground Control Center (GCC) is a multiprocessor embedded computer system from Kontron consisting of around 180 high performance dualcore 6U VME CPU boards. By the time this iconic European infrastructure goes into full operation, Kontron will have delivered more than 1000 highperformance dual-core VME boards, the equivalent of 26 teraflops of peak processing power.
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The pulse of innovation
» Application Story «VME in Aerospace
Kontron supplies multi-processor VME solution to power the world’s most accurate satellite navigation systemGalileo goes into orbit
The world’s latest and most advanced Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Galileo, is now in its test and validation phase. At the heart of the system’s Ground Control Center (GCC) is a multiprocessor embedded computer system from Kontron consisting of around 180 high performance dualcore 6U VME CPU boards. By the time this iconic European infrastructure goes into full operation, Kontron will have delivered more than 1000 highperformance dual-core VME boards, the equivalent of 26 terafl ops of peak processing power.
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Galileo is the world’s most advanced Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and the new fl agship European venture. A joint initiative of the European Commission (EC) and the European Space Agency (ESA), work on the project started in 2003. It is now in the development and validation stage with two out of the four test satellites already in orbit and the basic ground infrastructure in place. When fully deployed, Galileo will consist of a constellation of 30 satellites in 3 different orbits 23000km above the earth. This constellation will provide unprecedented accuracy for public systems down to the meter range and guaranteed high availability for all regions of the globe. This unprecedented level of accuracy is made possible by a high-end multi-processor computing core consisting of multiple VME based embedded computers supplied by Kontron.
How it works
Receivers such as mobile phones, navigation systems etc. calculate their position by timing the signals sent from at least four satellites. The satellites continuously transmit messages containing the time the message was sent together with information about their orbits. By comparing the dispatch and arrival time, the receiver calculates its distance from the satellite. Once the receiver has distance information from four satellites it is able to calculate its exact position and its time synchronisation in relation to the Galileo System Time (GST).To ensure continuous and guaranteed accuracy, the distance calculation from each satellite needs to be as precise as possible. This requires on-going synchronization of the satellites’ on-board atomic clocks in relation to GST and constantly updated information on their orbits. This is where Galileo’s redundant group of Ground Control Centers (GCC) comes in. One of the GCC’s main tasks is to process information received from the sensor stations located around the globe in order to synchronize the atomic clocks and calculate any deviations in the orbits. This
takes place in the OSPF (Orbit Synchronization and Processing Facility). Another major component, IPF (Integrity Processing Facility), carries out software routines that check and ensure the quality, or integrity, of the signals received from the satellites. By incorporating integrity information into the system, Galileo is suitable for Safety-Of-Life applications.
The challenge: terafl op processing power on a reliable embedded platform
The continuous stream of information from the satellites contains the current time from the atomic clocks in the picosecond range, i.e. 10 -12. The resulting Gigabytes of information requires terafl ops of processing power in order to calculate the updated orbits and synchronize the clock data within an acceptable time frame. In addition to providing extremely high processing performance, the embedded electronics also have to be based on a proven, reliable technology that is robust enough to guarantee the high availability operation required for this type of long life-cycle project.
The solution: multi-processor VME system for reliable high performance
To meet the requirements on reliable processing power for the In Orbit Validation phase, Kontron supplied a total of 21 fully integrated and tested OSPF and IPF systems based on multiple 6U dual-core VME CPU boards.
Each OSPF system consists of 11 Kontron PENTXM2 VME CPU boards with 1.67 GHz dual-core Intel® Xeon® processors and
Figure 1: Galileo system confi guration for the In-Orbit-Validation (IOV) phase
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2 GB of dual channel DDR2-400 SDRAM with a peak bandwidth of 3.2 GB/s on each channel. There are two OSPF systems in each GCC. Figure 2 shows the confi guration of one of the OSPF systems. The incoming signals are transmitted via Galileo’s own communications network (GCN) to the GCC. The OSPF’s switches provide the Gigabit Ethernet communication interfaces. The intra-system switch handles data transmission between the Kontron CPU boards within a single system while the inter-system switch coordinates information fl ow between the OSPF systems and other GCC systems. For connecting to the external operator interfaces that provide visualization and enable technicians to carry out control and maintenance tasks, the OSPF systems offer two serial interfaces to one of the PENTXM2 boards.
The IPF has a similar confi guration. It consists of 3 integrated systems in each GCC, each with 5 Kontron PENTXM2 boards. The output of each OSPF and IPF in a single GCC is transmitted to a redundant group of MGFs (Message Generation Facility) that consist of 3 integrated systems, each with 3 Kontron PENTXM2 boards. Each MGF multiplexes the computing results from one OSPF and one IPF into a message format that can be sent to the satellites. The output messages from one of the MGFs are then forwarded to the relevant ULS (UP-Link Station) for transmission to the satellites.
Proven, rugged technology
With their inherently rugged and proven design, systems based on VMEbus technology continue to be a natural choice for this type of high availability application. The latest Kontron PENTXM2 boards combine all the well-known rugged benefi ts of VME with the latest high processing horse power of 2x Intel® dual-core processors. As a result, each of the Kontron VME boards provides rugged, high availability server grade performance for applications with extremely high demands on data throughput. Moreover, VMEbus has been an ANSI standard
for over 20 years and looks set to be around well into the future. This is important for the Galileo system which is intended to be a long-term, cost-effective alternative to GPS. With companies like Kontron supporting VMEbus, Galileo engineers will continue to have fast access to an extensive range of products and services for VME technology including the newest VME boards based on tomorrow’s processor technologies. This will ensure cost-effective and fast system upgrades as well as lower total cost of ownership. Service providers and end users will also benefi t from the resulting lower prices.
Turnkey, tested solution from a single source
The Galileo project also highlights the important trend towards embedded vendors capable of supplying fully tested, turnkey solutions for faster time-to-deployment and easier project management. For the OSPF and IPF systems Kontron designed and delivered complete systems with CPU boards and SATA hard drives as well as the Gigabit Ethernet switches, fans and power supply units enclosed in an individually designed housing. For system testing, Kontron’s software engineers developed extensive software written in Linux code for carrying out stress-test applications. By simulating system functionality and sending test data traffi c through the system, the software enabled engineers to fully check the functionality of each system component (e.g. correct assignment of processing tasks between the CPU boards, integrity of processed data etc.) without having to wait for the development of the application specifi c software. This signifi cantly accelerated overall project development, enabling the OSPF systems to be quickly tested and passed on to the contractors responsible for system integration higher along the project chain. Before Galileo goes into full operation, Kontron will also manage the procedure for acquiring the required certifi cation for the OSPF and IPF in accordance with the relevant EU directives (certifi cation is
Figure 2: Kontron PENTXM2 6U VME boards with dual-core performance ensure unprecedented levels of accuracy.
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not required for the validation phase), thus further relieving the project management burden on the customer, Thales Alenia Space. Professional project management is an important service for projects of this scale that require full documentation and tracking for the systems at all project stages, even after delivery to the customer. “In a major project like Galileo that involves a large number of companies from several countries across Europe, we receive a lot of queries from different contractors working with the OSPF and IPF systems. Kontron’s professional tracking and documentation services enable us to quickly and effi ciently answer all questions and thereby ensure a smooth project work fl ow“, explains Philippe Lemeu, GMS consortium Manager from Thales Alenia Space.
The next stage
With In Orbit Validation underway, the next phase of the project to commission the complete constellation of 30 satellites has started. Eleven companies from fi ve European countries have been shortlisted to supply the complete space and ground segments. Galileo is scheduled to go into full commercial operation in 2013.
Figure 3: Multiple Kontron 6U VME dual-core CPU boards provide the
terafl op processing power at the heart of the Galileo system
Kontron PENTXM2 – Server class VME CPU board for high-end applications
Based on the latest Intel® Xeon® processor up to 1.67 GHz and Intel E7520 chipset, the Kontron PENTXM2 6U VME CPU board offers high-end, server class performance for advanced embedded applications that require the rugged, proven VME technology on a highperformance CPU board. For data processing intensive applications, the Kontron PENTXM2 supports up to 4 GB of dual channel DDR2-400 SDRAM capable of handling a bandwidth of up to 3.2 GB/s on each channel. I/O fl exibility is provided by a PCI Express x4 expansion slot as well as PCI Express XMC x8 Mezzanine slot and a PMC in addition to two Gigabit Ethernet ports, 3 x USB 2.0, and two serial ports SP0/COM1and SP1/COM2. For fast hard drive access the Kontron PENTXM2 offers two SerialATA interfaces and there is support for up to 4 GB of NAND-fl ash.
VITA 38A new and unique feature of the Kontron PENTXM2 is its ability to offer variable computing capacity for VME systems. Implementing VITA 38, the IPMI standard in a VME envelope, Kontron’s PENTXM2 and PENTXM4 6U VME multi-core CPU boards can populate a complete VME rack with some being maintained in stand-by mode and later powered up under application control. The standard out-of-band IPMI command infrastructure is used to implement this feature which is of particular interest to defense applications. Often seen as the best answer for long-life mission profi les with scarce power budget, variable computing capacity allows minimal power consumption while the system operates in surveillance mode, switching to maximum computing capacity in battle mode. Variable capacity is also the best solution for a VME system to deploy spare boards with minimal impact on the power budget. The power cost of spare boards maintained in standby mode while the rack is powered up, is minimal. Kontron’s implementation, unique on the market, is the fi rst to provide defense integrators with variable capacity computing in the 6U VME form factor, and is available in our maximum ruggedization levels (-40° to +85°C).
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Kontron is a global leader in embedded computing technology. With more than 40 % of its employees in research and development, Kontron creates many of the standards that drive the world’s embedded computing platforms. Kontron’s product longevity, local engineering and support, and value-added services, helps create a sustainable and viable embedded solution for OEMs and system integrators.
Kontron works closely with its customers on their embedded application-ready platforms and custom solutions, enabling them to focus on their core competencies. The result is an accelerated time-to-market, reduced total-cost-of-ownership and an improved overall application with leading-edge, highly-reliable embedded technology.
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