LAUNCH VEHICLE TESTING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A system for testing a launch vehicle, the system comprising:
- a flight control section including flight electronics in the launch vehicle;
a non-flight test section operatively coupled to the flight control section, the non-flight test section comprising;
a first electronic control module in operative communication with the flight electronics; and
a second electronic control module that provides redundancy with respect to the first electronic control module, the second electronic control module in operative communication with the flight electronics;
a first network serial interface communicatively coupled to the first electronic control module and configured to provide signal communication between the first electronic control module and ground support equipment; and
a second network serial interface communicatively coupled to the second electronic control module and configured to provide signal communication between the second electronic control module and the ground support equipment;
wherein only one of the first and second electronic control modules is selected at a given point in time to send data to the flight control section, wherein when a non-flight hardware error occurs in the selected electronic control module, the other electronic control module is automatically selected to send data to the flight control section.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for testing a launch vehicle comprises a flight control section including flight electronics, and a non-flight test section coupled to the flight control section. The non-flight test section comprises a first control module in communication with the flight electronics, and a second control module that provides redundancy in communication with the flight electronics. A first network serial interface is coupled to the first control module and configured to provide communication to ground support equipment, and a second network serial interface is coupled to the second control module and configured to provide communication to the ground support equipment. Only one of the first and second control modules is selected at a given point in time to send data to the flight control section. When a non-flight hardware error occurs in the selected control module, the other control module is automatically selected to send data to the flight control section.
35 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for testing a launch vehicle, the system comprising:
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a flight control section including flight electronics in the launch vehicle; a non-flight test section operatively coupled to the flight control section, the non-flight test section comprising; a first electronic control module in operative communication with the flight electronics; and a second electronic control module that provides redundancy with respect to the first electronic control module, the second electronic control module in operative communication with the flight electronics; a first network serial interface communicatively coupled to the first electronic control module and configured to provide signal communication between the first electronic control module and ground support equipment; and a second network serial interface communicatively coupled to the second electronic control module and configured to provide signal communication between the second electronic control module and the ground support equipment; wherein only one of the first and second electronic control modules is selected at a given point in time to send data to the flight control section, wherein when a non-flight hardware error occurs in the selected electronic control module, the other electronic control module is automatically selected to send data to the flight control section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for testing a launch vehicle, the method comprising:
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providing a non-flight test section operatively coupled to a flight control section of the launch vehicle, the non-flight test section comprising; a first electronic control module in operative communication with the flight electronics; and a second electronic control module that provides redundancy with respect to the first electronic control module, the second electronic control module in operative communication with the flight electronics; providing a first network serial interface communicatively coupled to the first electronic control module; providing a second network serial interface communicatively coupled to the second electronic control module; selecting one of the first and second electronic control modules at a given point in time to send data to the flight control section; and when a non-flight hardware error occurs in the selected electronic control module, selecting the other electronic control module to send data to the flight control section. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification