Avionics & Software
The onboard computing — flight computers, radiation-hardened memory, flight software, and fault management.
- Command & Data Handling (Avionics)Subsystem
The 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.
- Fault ManagementComponent
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.
- Flight ComputerComponent
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.
- Onboard Flight SoftwareComponent
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.
- Radiation-Hardened MemoryComponent
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.