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Loading contentThe spacecraft's onboard computing — the flight computer, software, and memory that execute commands, run the spacecraft autonomously, and manage faults across the long light-time to deep space.
The onboard logic that detects, isolates, and recovers from failures autonomously — putting the spacecraft into a safe state and calling home when it cannot resolve a problem itself.
The central processor that runs a spacecraft — executing command sequences, controlling subsystems, and reacting to faults. Deep-space computers are radiation-hardened and modest by consumer standards, prizing reliability over speed.
The programs that fly the spacecraft — running the control loops, sequences, and autonomy. Flight software is exhaustively tested, because a bug billions of kilometres away cannot be fixed by hand.
Memory and electronics designed to withstand the charged particles of space, which can flip bits or damage circuits. Error-correcting codes and hardened parts keep the computer trustworthy.
Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.