[ont.events] Comp.Sci. coll.-"Onboard Comp. for Space Appl."

voula@utcsri.UUCP (Voula Vanneli) (02/20/85)

                   University of Toronto
               Department of Computer Science
  (SF = Sandford Fleming Building, 10 King's College Road)


COLLOQUIUM - Tuesday, February 26, 11 a.m.,  SF 1105

                    Uriel Domb, P. Eng.
                 Telespace Information Ltd.

         "Onboard Computers for Space Applications"

            (Coffee and cookies will be served.)

                          Abstract

Space missions have always required  complex  and  sophisti-
cated  computer  support  in  order  to carry out their wide
variety of tasks.  Geosynchronous satellites require a  high
degree  of  stationkeeping, near-earth orbit satellites need
precision orbit and attitude prediction, and deep space mis-
sions  depend  on  highly  accurate navigation.  In addition
most of these spacecrafts  transmit  vast  amounts  of  data
which they collect by various instruments and sensors.

Until recently theses computational functions could only  be
performed on the ground by large and powerful computers, but
the current generation of microcomputers and micriprocessors
can and have taken over their predecessors on the ground and
especially onboard the spacecrafts themselves.

This talk will focus on the special requirements imposed  on
these  computers  in the evnironment of space, and how these
computers have evolved to carry out the complex onboard com-
putational loads.