Session
Technical Session V: Advanced Technologies Section II
Abstract
A high capacity Data Storage Unit is key to the store and forward mode of operation for numerous science and commercial missions and services that generate very high data volumes at high data rates. This paper introduces just such a commercial service in the form of the CASCADE service. In order for this service to succeed, one of the key spacecraft components is the Data Storage Unit, or DSU. Besides high capacity, the Data Storage Unit needs to have a relatively random access, low power consumption, and a reasonable size and mass. There are currently two storage technologies that appear to be candidates for the Data Storage Unit. These are DRAM based Solid State Recorders, and space qualified RAIDs based on commercial hard disk drives. The space qualified RAIDs are not as proven as the Solid State Recorders. However, the space qualified RAIDs currently have a significant advantage in terms of size, mass, and power for a unit with the capacity required by Smallsat and Microsat missions. This paper discussed a third technology now coming on the horizon which promises to have all the benefits of the RAID drives with none of the technical problems of spinning drives. This technology makes use of rugged FLASH memory modules as the storage medium. The paper discusses the new DSU now under development at Routes AstroEngineering. This unit promises to deliver much more storage density with high reliability and speed normally associated with the Solid State Recorder at a recurring cost that is planned to be competitive with the RAID spinning drive technology. The unit is scalable, capable of storage densities of up to 10Tbits in total, with up to 8 individual memory channels sharing this memory array. Each channel is capable of 350Mbps throughput and the whole unit has a power budget of less than 65W (operations) and a total mass less than 30Kg, with built-in multiple redundant power and data paths for high reliability and availability.
Presentation Slides
A Novel Approach to a High Speed, Large Memory Spacecraft Data Storage Unit
A high capacity Data Storage Unit is key to the store and forward mode of operation for numerous science and commercial missions and services that generate very high data volumes at high data rates. This paper introduces just such a commercial service in the form of the CASCADE service. In order for this service to succeed, one of the key spacecraft components is the Data Storage Unit, or DSU. Besides high capacity, the Data Storage Unit needs to have a relatively random access, low power consumption, and a reasonable size and mass. There are currently two storage technologies that appear to be candidates for the Data Storage Unit. These are DRAM based Solid State Recorders, and space qualified RAIDs based on commercial hard disk drives. The space qualified RAIDs are not as proven as the Solid State Recorders. However, the space qualified RAIDs currently have a significant advantage in terms of size, mass, and power for a unit with the capacity required by Smallsat and Microsat missions. This paper discussed a third technology now coming on the horizon which promises to have all the benefits of the RAID drives with none of the technical problems of spinning drives. This technology makes use of rugged FLASH memory modules as the storage medium. The paper discusses the new DSU now under development at Routes AstroEngineering. This unit promises to deliver much more storage density with high reliability and speed normally associated with the Solid State Recorder at a recurring cost that is planned to be competitive with the RAID spinning drive technology. The unit is scalable, capable of storage densities of up to 10Tbits in total, with up to 8 individual memory channels sharing this memory array. Each channel is capable of 350Mbps throughput and the whole unit has a power budget of less than 65W (operations) and a total mass less than 30Kg, with built-in multiple redundant power and data paths for high reliability and availability.
