The ECSS Packet Utilization Standard and Its Support Tool

Abstract

In May 1994, the Committee for Operations and EGSE Standards (COES) of the European Space Agency (ESA) issued the Packet Utilisation Standard (PUS) in the ESA internal PSS standards system. The intention was to promote standardization and the re-use of on-board and ground systems by defining a standard application-level interface between space and ground. Since that date, two major developments have occurred that are relevant to the PUS:The PUS has been used, to varying degrees, by a large number of missions and is currently being adopted by virtually all future ESA missions.The European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) was established with the mandate for production of space-related standards and the PUS has been thoroughly reviewed and improved by the ECSS Working Group for "Ground Systems and Operations". It will be published soon in the E-70 branch of ECSS.The PUS revision has been completed and this paper presents the improvements and extensions introduced in the new PUS (ECSS-E-70-41). In addition, tools aimed at easing the work of users of the ECSS PUS are being developed and are presented in this paper.

Spacecraft monitoring and control a pragmatic evaluation through the eyes of the CAP theorem

“…The PUS defines an operationally meaningful set of packet-based services as well as the structure of the related telemetry and telecommand packets. At ESOC PUS messages are exchanged over CCSDS TM and TC packets 5 .…”

Design of Satellite Telemetry Based on PUS under Limited Downlink Channel

“…To make the packet telemetry more universal and enhance the development and operation of space mission systems, Packet utilization standard (PUS) was brought forward by ECSS [1]. PUS defines the application-level interface between ground and space, which satisfies the requirements of electrical integration and testing and flight operations [2,3]. Though PUS is very convenient for satellite design, application of it is not easy when the downlink is limited, such as deep space projects.…”

Taking the ECSS Autonomy Concepts One Step Further

“…In 2002, Merri et al 6 informed that "virtually all ESA missions are considering the adoption of PUS". Following this trend, the Brazilian missions that are based on INPE's Multi-Mission Platform also implement PUS.…”