M.J. Luna Mejia, K. Schäfer, C. Heim, C. Horch, F. Schäfer, S. Rupitsch

The emerging field of NewSpace technologies has led to the development of cost-efficient small satellites by utilizing commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components in their designs. Small satellites face significant challenges due to their limited power resources and exposure to harsh environmental conditions, like radiation or temperature fluctuations. These can cause hardware and software failures that compromise the reliability of the satellite operations. This paper focuses on investigating the performance impact of virtualization in the context of COTS-based small satellite payloads. It specifically explores the application of the open-source virtualization solution Xen and its potential to enhance the software reliability of small satellite payloads based on a multiprocessor system-on-a-chip (MPSoC). The study evaluates how virtualization enables the strict separation of mission-critical and non-critical software modules through the use of virtual machines, ensuring isolation. Through experiments conducted on the ZynqMP UltraScale MPSoC-based data processing unit (DPU) developed at Fraunhofer EMI for small satellite payloads, the results demonstrate a significant improvement in the execution time and variance of a real-time application when executed in a separated, virtualized environment. This observation highlights the value of a virtualization setup with CPU pinning, which enhances predictability, especially under high system loads. Furthermore, leveraging virtualization in small satellite systems ensures strict isolation between applications with different confidence levels, enabling multiple users to access and utilize the same hardware platform. This approach also facilitates satellite-as-a-service models, promoting cost sharing, collaboration, and reducing barriers for small satellite operators to provide shared infrastructure or engage in joint missions with other institutions.

Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 2023, Stuttgart

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt - Lilienthal-Oberth e.V., Bonn, 2023

Conference Paper

englisch

21,0 x 29,7 cm, 7 Seiten

urn:nbn:de:101:1-2023102012483520265020

10.25967/610318

NewSpace, virtualization, small satellite, reliability

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Luna Mejia, M.J.; Schäfer, K.; et al. (2023): Hypervisor Evaluation for Virtualization of a High-Performance Small Satellite Payload. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt - Lilienthal-Oberth e.V.. (Text). https://doi.org/10.25967/610318. urn:nbn:de:101:1-2023102012483520265020.

20.10.2023