4 ms·
Ask HN: Software and programming languages on the Mars Perseverance mission
What software and programming languages are being used for the various systems on the Perseverance mission to Mars? What are the design principles and mission constraints that have influenced the choices that have been made?
- tectonic 6y agoCheck out NASA's Software Engineering Handbook: https://standards.nasa.gov/standard/nasa/nasa-hdbk-2203 https://standards.nasa.gov/standard/nasa/nasa-hdbk-2203
- ampdepolymerase 6y agoProbably the usual aerospace stack: C/C++ and Ada doing the heavy lifting. Since memory is no longer a (significant) space constraint in 2021, I suspect other high level languages are also used for the non-critical parts of the system.
- virgil_disgr4ce 6y ago> Since memory is no longer a (significant) space constraint in 2021 Is this definitely true in the context of astronautics?
- bootloop 6y agoThe main computer of Perseverance (and Curiosity) has 256 megabytes of RAM. Which is only twice of what Spirit and Opportunity had so I wouldn't call this a significant increase. (Even Pathfinder had 128 in 1997 but wasn't a rover.)
- harveywi 6y ago> memory is no longer a (significant) space constraint I see what you did there.
- sul_tasto 6y agothe universe is expanding, after all...
- whalesalad 6y agohttps://www.cio.com/article/3569577/the-technology-aboard-the-mars-rover-perseverance-an-inside-look.html https://www.cio.com/article/3569577/the-technology-aboard-th... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_embedded_computer_systems_on_board_the_Mars_rovers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_embedded_compute...