ATV Test Facilities
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ATV is an unmanned vehicle, whose mission is to re-supply International Space Station (ISS):
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A number of test facilities shall be deployed to test and qualify the ATV Flight Segment. These pages describe the Test Facilities as they are foreseen by the ATV-TF engineering team. |
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Family |
Facility |
Location |
User |
Purpose |
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FES |
FES |
Les Mureaux (F) |
Aerospatiale |
The FES (Functional Engineering Simulator) is a pure software simulation of the flight system and environment |
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SVF |
The Software Validation Facility family is used to validate the real onboard Fault Tolerant Computer (FTC) and flight software by stimulation of the FTC interfaces, and by simulation of the other equipment and environment |
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IO SVF |
Bremen (D) |
DASA |
The IO SVF is used for level 1 and input / output software validation with the real FTC |
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DMS SVF |
Toulouse (F) |
MMS |
The DMS SVF is used for Data Management System (DMS or level 2) software validation |
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GNC SVF |
Toulouse (F) |
MMS |
The GNC RdV SVF is used for GNC rendezvous software (level 3) validation |
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FAS SVF |
Les Mureaux (F) |
Aerospatiale |
The FAS (Flight Application Software) SVF is used for GNC, MVM software (level 3) |
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AIT |
ATB |
Toulouse (F) |
MMS |
For integration of the EAB (Equipped Avionics Bay) ETM (Electrical Test Model) |
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FSF |
RdVTB |
Toulouse (F) |
MMS |
Rendezvous Test Bench - involves using real computers, real or simulated RdV equipment and environment for RdV, at MMS and EPOS (European Proximity Operations Simulator) site |
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RdVTB |
Oberpfaffenhoven (D) |
EPOS |
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FSF/ETM |
Les Mureaux (F) |
Aerospatiale |
The Functional Simulation Facility involves real Fault Tolerant Computer, real or simulated equipment and simulated environment for the overall ATV. It is used for functional validation and qualification tests |
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FSF/PFM |
Les Mureaux (F) |
Aerospatiale |
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Functional Engineering Simulator |
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The Functional Engineering Simulator (FES) is a software simulation environment. User software models of the ATV flight segment and its environment are run in a simulated environment with a simulated time reference. The FES is used for pre-integration software modelling of the ATV mission, and for adaptation of models from previous projects. It is implemented using the Eurosim simulator on Silicon Graphics equipment. |
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Software Validation Facility |
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The Software Validation Facility (SVF) is used to validate flight software in the real onboard computer environment. The central component of the SVF is the Fault Tolerant Computer (FTC) pool of processors, the Inter Processor Network (IPN) and the corresponding front-end hardware. Within a SVF, the flight software to be validated is loaded into the FTC and executed under direct control of the FTC/IPN FEE. The Mil 1553 FEE is used to emulate the other on board equipment on the ATV 1553 data busses, and to record all bus traffic The Simulator provides real time access to the 1553 FEE, allowing user models of the ATV equipment to control the data traffic on the ATV data busses. The Supervisor allows user test sequences to control loading, running and halting the on board software, access on board software variables and to monitor and display these during the test |
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Rendezvous Test Bench |
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The term Rendezvous refers to an ATV mission phase in which the spacecraft is close to, approaches and docks with the International Space Station. The Rendezvous Test Bench (RdVTB) is used for validation and simulation of the Rendezvous software component of the ATV. The complete rendezvous and docking functional chain is verified. The RdVTB includes the Test Supervisor, Simulator, Mil 1553 Front End, TM/TC Front End and the Guidance and Navigation Control (GNC) Front Ends. Other non-GNC front-end equipment (e.g. thermal, power) are not required The RdVTB allows closed loop testing of the rendezvous scenarios through the Simulator and use of real time access to the front-end equipment from simulator models of the rendezvous and docking environment. The Rendezvous Test Bench is installed initially at the European Proximity Operations Simulator (EPOS) and subsequently is moved to Les Mureaux, where it uses the EPOS remotely. The RdVTB subsequently evolves into the FSF (see below) |
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Avionics Test Bench |
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The ATB is used by the ATV avionics contractor to integrate the Electrical Test Model of the Equipped Avionics Chain (ETM EAC). To achieve this goal, avionics and navigation related equipment is integrated with the onboard computer. A range of Specific Front End Equipment is added to the SVF equipment shown above, and this is used to stimulate the external interfaces of the avionics equipment and to validate the TM/TC and RF chains. The ATB is controlled and monitored by the Test Supervisor alone, without a Simulator. This is possible because the Front End Equipment is used only for open loop testing in the ATB. |
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Functional Simulation Facility |
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The FSF is used to validate the entire ATV functional system using the Electrical Test Model (ETM) and then subsequently using the Prototype Flight Model (PFM). The goal is to integrate and validate the complete electrical system, then ATV system qualification, and then ATV mission rehearsal. The FSF is evolved from the Rendezvous Test Bench. Power, thermal, pyro, mechanical and other front ends are added to the GNC front ends of the RdVTB. The FSF includes simulation of the interfaces to Ariane 5, the Russian Docking system, and the ISS data management system. Real ATV equipment is used (Engineering, Engineering Qualification Models, or Prototype Flight Models). |
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Component |
Description |
Supplier |
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Test Supervisor |
The TS is implemented using Open Center on a multiprocessor Sun server. It provides overall monitoring and control of the Facility. User test sequences written in the space-industry standard "ELISA" programming language are compiled and run to provide complete test automation. The features provided are:
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TERMA |
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Mil 1553 FEE |
Stimulation, monitoring and recording of the ATV on board 1553B data busses The features provided are:
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Fokker |
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Test Simulator |
Real time simulation of ATV equipment and the environment. The Test Simulator is implemented using the Eurosim product on a multiprocessor Silicon Graphics processor. The simulator is enhanced with Hardware in the Loop (HIL) drivers for the Mil 1553 FEE, allowing response within 1ms from model software to events on the ATV data bus. Software drivers allowing real-time response to SFEE events are also provided. |
Fokker |
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FTC / IPN FEE |
Access to the Fault Tolerant Computer and Inter Processor Network |
CFI (DASA) |
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Time Reference |
The common time reference is used for all recording and analysis. The basic granularity of time comparisons for the entire test facility is 20 m s, allowing a maximum of 10m s error in measurements in any subsystem. The IRIG-B BCD encoded signal with leading edge pulse accurate to 1m s is generated once per second. |
TERMA |
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Flight Phases |
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Ascent |
From launch sequence by Ariane 5, subsequent injection into orbit up to the entry point for homing. This point is defined by the acquisition of the communication link with ISS |
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Rendezvous and departure |
From the above-defined point to a point characterising the end of the departure phase from ISS, including homing and closing, final approach, docking, de-docking and departure. |
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De-orbit |
From the end of departure phase to the atmospheric re-entry point at a 120km altitude. |
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ATV System |
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Flight Segment |
Operates manoeuvres from the launch to final re-entry. The development of the flight segment is placed under the industrial responsibility of the ATV prime contractor: Aerospatiale. The flight segment includes the complete vehicle, and the Ground Support Equipment (GSE). The Test Facilities are part of the GSE. |
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Ground Segment |
ESA is directly in charge of development of the ATV Ground Segment. |
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ã TERMA Elektronik AS |
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