Development of a Power Distribution Unit Controller for the SHEFEX III Navigation System

Abstract

In embedded systems for safety- and mission-critical applications, an appropriate hardware design is still highly important next to the constitutive software development. Custom system designs, as they are used in spacecraft, require such additional embedded systems with high reliability at challenging requirements. This Master’s Thesis is primarily concerned with the development of an active controller for the power distribution unit within the navigation system for the SHEFEX III mission by the German Aerospace Center. Several approaches on implementing a 1-fault-tolerant hardware design are discussed from the research though to the verification of suitable and feasible solutions. Subsequently, some basic specifications for the controller software are given in form of a finite state machine and conceptional algorithms as starting point for future work.