Satellite Software

Some of the subsystems in the satellite have a software component. Each subsystem that uses software has its own microcontroller, which executes programs that we write in C. We write code that runs on the microcontrollers (each has its own code, but with some common components).

We use a microcontroller (MCU) called the ATMega32M1 (32M1), which is part of the AVR family of microcontrollers.

The following subsystems each have an MCU:

OBC (On Board Computer)

  • the main microcontroller on the satellite that coordinates the satellite’s actions
  • developed by the CDH (Command and Data Handling) subsystem

PAY (Payload)

  • controls the experiment in the paylod
  • developed by the Instrumentation subsystem

EPS (Electrical Power Systems)

  • regulates the power/energy systems on the satellites
  • developed by the EPS subsystem