Product category:
Design and Development Software
News Release from: Aonix
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 28 February 2005
Tools to develop budget satellite
launcher
Aonix tools have been chosen by the European Space Agency's Vega Programme.
Aonix tools have been chosen by the European Space Agency's (ESA) Vega Programme, a satellite launcher for satellites weighing 1t or less that are used for scientific Earth observation, telecommunications and technology applications in low-Earth orbits Aonix tools have been selected for Ada application development along with its highly reliable real-time executive
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 27 Mar 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Vega Programme came into being in the early 1990s when several European countries began to investigate the possibility of complementing the Ariane launchers family with a capability for smaller payloads.
These preparatory activities concluded in 1998, and in 2000 the member countries approved the launcher's full development phase.
Aonix COTS products were selected as the mission-critical software phase of the project opened up.
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The AdaWorld Solaris to ERC-32 product implements the board segment software that controls and monitors all phases of the launchers take off and flight until the satellite is in orbit.
"Thanks to a long history of certifiable applications, Aonix's tools have been selected for application development and real-time control of the Vega launcher", said Jacques Brygier, VP of Marketing at Aonix.
"We are honoured to develop an launcher specifically designed for scientific and low-orbit missions and to work with prestigious companies like ELV, EADS Space Transportation and Saab Ericsson Space who also value high standards of real-time safety-critical development".
"Aonix has built a strong reputation within the space industry", noted Maurizio Porfiri, System Software Architect at ELV, main contractor of the Vega project.
"We were impressed by the quality and robustness of their environment and appreciated the high level of expertise Aonix developed with space technology".
Aonix expertise and experience are key factors in the future success of the Vega project.
"Aonix has played an instrumental role in major space projects such as the Ariane 5 launcher and the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)", said Christophe Goarin, On Board Software Integration Manager at EADS Space Transportation.
"Aonix products have always satisfied our demanding requirements and met the high-quality standards we expect from our suppliers".
To reduce costs, the Vega Programme uses a flexible modular approach that employs advanced low-cost technologies and takes advantage of existing production facilities used for Ariane launchers.
Aonix provides COTS products for onboard software development, based on technology already proven in previous Ariane launchers.
The first qualification launch for Vega is planned in 2006 from the French Guiana Space centre.
Following this, there will be an average of three to four launches each year.
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