Well better. The Hubble computer has a chassis we no longer know about, with extreme reliability. It dates back to the 80s, but it is one of the best products of the time.
The Hubble computer has not one but two buses. Every component in the computer is connected to both buses. So the processor is on both buses, the memory is on both buses, and all the tools are on both buses. But not only that, every component is redundant. So there is not one processor, but two processors, each connected to both buses. There are also two copies of memory, each connected to the two buses. All instruments are also connected to both buses.
This means that the whole computer can be built dynamically: eg processor 1, memory module 2, radio module 1, all communication over bus B is a configuration you can think of. If radio module 1 fails, they can turn them off and turn on radio module 2, but if they cannot communicate, they can switch to bus A, so that communication is possible via this route.
This configuration is done by two monitor computers. Each can be accessed separately from Earth via its own radio frequencies and both can be used to reconfigure the computer. When the telescope is in safe mode, the watch also takes over the control of the solar panels and antennas, the solar panels pointing toward the sun, and the antennas on the ground.
It’s a pretty cool system, and I wish computers were designed that way today. We love it a lot these days if we have a server with redundant power supply, but if your memory fails, say goodbye to the hand.
[Reactie gewijzigd door dmantione op 26 oktober 2021 22:17]
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