How to avoid a BSOD on your 2B dollar spacecraft
Engineers faced challenges during testing a $2 billion spacecraft due to a Blue Screen of Death incident caused by incorrect memory addresses, requiring careful rebooting of systems after 12 hours of troubleshooting.
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The article discusses the challenges faced during the testing of a $2 billion spacecraft, particularly focusing on a critical incident involving a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) scenario. During Closed Loop Tests (CLTs), the spacecraft encountered an unexplainable error due to the use of incorrect memory addresses that were meant for a different spacecraft. This led to a crash of the Enhanced Remote Interface Units (ERIUs), which are essential for communication between the onboard computer and various sensors. The engineers faced two main problems: the inability to command subsystems to power down and the lack of active telemetry, which raised concerns about the vehicle's state. To resolve the issue, they needed to reboot the ERIU, which required rebooting the entire onboard computer—a process fraught with risks, including the potential for the spacecraft to enter safemode. After careful planning and execution, the team successfully powered down the vehicle after 12 hours of troubleshooting. The author reflects on the experience, noting the importance of teamwork and the lack of recognition for their efforts, emphasizing that effective problem-solving can often go unnoticed.
- The spacecraft testing involved complex Closed Loop Tests (CLTs) to assess system responses.
- Incorrect memory addresses led to a crash of the Enhanced Remote Interface Units (ERIUs).
- Engineers faced significant challenges in rebooting the onboard computer without triggering safemode.
- Successful resolution required collaboration and careful execution of commands.
- The incident highlighted the importance of thorough documentation and teamwork in aerospace engineering.
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- Many commenters clarify that the spacecraft does not run Windows, but rather a custom operating system designed for its specific needs.
- There is concern about the lack of a thorough root cause analysis following the incident, raising questions about safety protocols.
- Some commenters speculate on the potential causes of the incident, including possible inexperienced programming or inadequate testing.
- Several users express disbelief at the idea of using Windows in a spacecraft context, emphasizing the importance of reliability in space missions.
- There is a general call for better communication and transparency regarding the incident and its implications for future missions.
16 commentsRe-reading the post, I see how the title, my analogies, and poor attempts at humor would give the incorrect description of what’s happening with the satellite when it enters safemode. I’ll amend the post soon.
Thanks for the feedback, I’ll be better next time.
I am a spacecraft engineer. I don’t see anything in the linked article indicating that they are actually running Windows - the BSOD claim is tongue-in-cheek, or at least that’s how I read it. I also don’t know of anyone anywhere that runs Windows on a spacecraft, with the exception of laptops used by astronauts. Typically one runs vxWorks, or maybe QNX. Some experimental (high risk, low cost) systems run Linux. Older spacecraft don't run any OS at all, everything is running on bare metal, and that may be true for a handful of current spacecraft as well.
Windows is used in some places by ground controllers, but these days they tend to be running Linux a lot more often.
https://www.eng.auburn.edu/~kchang/comp6710/readings/They%20...
That's... Concerning. No root cause analysis? Not even an internal one?
That or inexperienced programmers were involved, assuming they were not scared of modifying memory addresses directly.
As for the safe-mode, if it happened maybe you could say you were randomly injecting errors in the memory during runtime and spacecraft entered safe mode as expected, would not be far off from the truth, just do not mention it was unintended :)
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