Space Avionics & Scientific Instruments for Unmanned Space Missions

Developing advanced spacecraft avionics and scientific instruments for unmanned space missions is a particularly challenging endeavor that requires solutions accommodating many conflicting design constraints including:

• State-of-the-art technologies for data, signal, and image processing,
• High reliability hardware and software requirements,
• Long duration missions involving dormant and operational periods,
• Extreme physical, electromagnetic, and radiation environments,
• Size, weight, and power limitations,
• High Technology Readiness Level (TRL) designs, and
• Proven flight heritage.
The purpose of this lecture is to present a review of these design considerations, illustrated by several examples from past and current unmanned space missions including:

• New Horizons
• Juno
• CYGNSS
• Magnetospheric Multiscale
• IBEX
• Mars Science Laboratory
• Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
• Deep Impact
• Rosetta
• IMAGE
• Cassini