Information control system for space experiments onboard international space station

Abstract

The paper considers development of the Information Control System (ICS) of the Russian Segment of the International Space Station (ISS). The main ICS modules for carrying out scientific experiments comprise the Service Module, the Multipurpose Laboratory Module and the Science Power Module. At present specialists of Energia RSC are working to create high-tech conditions for scientific experiments on the new ISS modules, modernize the existing ones and combine them into a single onboard ISS information control complex. The information control system (ICS) is intended for automatic and manual control of space experiments. The effectiveness of modernization was confirmed by the results obtained during space experiments on the basis of the Information Control System. The ICS modernization started in 2012. At that time the ICS consisted of 4 onboard computers. The main task of ICS modernization was to introduce new computers and software-hardware systems. The software was supposed to have a flexible architecture and provide resources for all future onboard payloads. At the first stage one onboard computer was replaced. The main purpose of that stage was to test the new ISS hardware and software. The rest of the ICS computers will be replaced at the second stage, the Multipurpose Laboratory Module and the Science Power Module will also be equipped. The reliability of the system hardware is improved using functional backup. In 2014 2 cameras were installed on the ISS together with UrtheCast company (Canada).One of the cameras is a middle resolution camera; the other one is a high resolution camera. Today ground preparation of an experiment with Icarus scientific equipment is being carried out, jointly with the German Center of Aviation, DLR, and the SpaceTech company (Germany). The experience of the first stage of modernization suggests that the modernized ISS RS ICS will become an up-to-date system allowing the realization of most ambitious space experiments in automatic mode.