The Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) program is building a sensor that enables a spacecraft to evaluate autonomously a potential landing area to generate a list of hazardous and safe landing sites. It will also provide navigation inputs relative to those safe sites.
The HDS-CE is built with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and one custom I/O board. The HDS consists of the compute element, a Flash LIDAR, a 2- axis gimbal, a navigation-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU), and a power distribution unit (PDU). It is designed as an independent instrument interfacing with a host vehicle.
This architecture combines the strengths of two architectures: the highperformance timing, I/O, and interface ability and processing of an FPGA, with the high-performance computing, flexibility, and programmability of a general-purpose Manycore processor. This combination of an FPGA with a Manycore processor, with both components being concurrently used for processing, has yet to be done for space applications.
This architecture is also useful for embedded robotic applications such as rovers. The FPGA/Manycore combination allows the end user to place tasks on either the FPGA or the Manycore processor, based on the strengths and weaknesses of each component.
This work was done by Carlos Y. Villalpando, Garen Khanoyan, Ryan A. Stern, Raphael R. Some, Erik S. Bailey, John M. Carson, Geoffrey M. Vaughan, Robert A. Werner, Phil M. Salomon, Keith E. Martin, Matthew D. Spaulding, Michael E. Luna, Shui H. Motaghedi, Nikolas Trawny, Andrew E. Johnson, Tonislav I. Ivanov, Andres Huertas, and William D. Whitaker of Caltech; and Steven B. Goldberg of Indelible Systems, Inc. for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The software used in this innovation is available for commercial licensing. Please contact Dan Broderick at
This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
Compute Element and Interface Box for the Hazard Detection System
(reference NPO-48786) is currently available for download from the TSP library.
Don't have an account?
Overview
The document is a Technical Support Package for the Compute Element and Interface Box of the Hazard Detection System (HDS) developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It outlines the Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT), which is designed to enhance the safety and reliability of autonomous landing systems for spacecraft.
The ALHAT system employs advanced technologies to detect and avoid hazards during landing, ensuring that vehicles can safely navigate complex terrains. A key component of this system is the Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), which manages timing and synchronization. The FPGA features an internal timer that tracks elapsed time in seconds and fractional seconds, operating in two modes: a standalone/debug mode for laboratory testing and a flight/integration mode that relies on time references from the host vehicle, specifically using GPS time.
The document details the FPGA's timing mechanisms, including a free-running counter that resets upon receiving a Pulse Per Second (PPS) signal. This counter is crucial for maintaining accurate timekeeping during operations. The FPGA's architecture is designed to support various timer modules, ensuring precise timing across the system.
Additionally, the document describes the Data Logger and Console, which are integral for collecting telemetry data from the MultiCore Processor. This data is time-stamped for post-flight analysis and debugging, allowing engineers to assess system performance and make necessary adjustments. The Console also serves as a command interface during ground operations and system development, facilitating communication with the HDS.
The Technical Support Package emphasizes the collaborative efforts between NASA and Caltech, highlighting the broader implications of the research and technology developed through the ALHAT program. It aims to make the results of aerospace-related developments accessible for wider technological, scientific, and commercial applications.
Overall, the document serves as a comprehensive overview of the ALHAT system's design, functionality, and operational capabilities, showcasing NASA's commitment to advancing autonomous landing technologies and enhancing the safety of future space missions.
