Multiple Process Support for cFS

This project will create a version of NASA's core Flight System (cFS) for the Linux platform that makes use of multiple processes to encapsulate applications. The current execution model uses a thread for each application, all which share the same memory space. Placing applications in separate processes will allow memory isolation between cFS applications, which will in turn make for more reliable software, prevent fault propagation, and make debugging memory related errors easier. It is a vital step to enable future work such as scripting engines for science instruments.

The primary objective is to provide better fault isolation by adapting cFS to use Linux processes instead of threads for the execution context of core services and applications. Processes will be introduced in stages; first encapsulating core services, legacy applications, and finally new applications. This will require exporting existing cFS interfaces to new Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that will facilitate inter-process communication.

The secondary objective is to demonstrate some of the additional future applications of the work by creating prototypes. These prototypes will lay the ground work for future research.

This project makes a critical improvement to cFS. Improving fault isolation within cFS will help Goddard remain competitive in small satellite development by increasing fault isolation in platforms that use cFS with Linux, reduce software development costs of new or modified cFS applications by making memory violations obvious, and help maintain the position of cFS as an excellent choice for Universities and outside partners. Longer-term benefits may result from new features that this project enables: embedding scripting within cFS applications, a wide range of fault tolerance techniques including check-pointing and process-level redundancy, and the ability to write cFS applications in different languages.

All of these benefits contribute to the higher reliability and increased capabilities for small satellite platforms, which ultimately reduce the cost of these important scientific platforms.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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