Method and system for communication in a space launcher, and space launcher equipped with same

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for communication in a space launcher, between an on-board computer (3) and a plurality of on-board devices including a plurality of sensors (6), a plurality of actuators (7) and a plurality of control units (8, 9) for critical sub-systems of the launcher, the launcher further comprising an electrical energy storage unit (5) designed to supply electric power to the on-board devices (6, 7, 8, 9). This method is designed to transport information exchanged between the on-board computer (3) and the on-board devices (6, 7, 8, 9) and electrical energy supplied by the energy storage unit (5) to the on-board devices (6, 7, 8, 9) via a common information-energy transport carrier (200) inside the space launcher.

Description

Method and system for communication in a space launcher and space launcher equipped therewith FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of communication in a space launcher, also called a space rocket launcher. It also relates to a communication system for implementing this method, as well as a space launcher thus equipped. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] To function, a launcher must power its various subsystems, and these subsystems must also communicate with each other. Launcher wiring architecture often includes redundant sections of harnesses, one for power and another for the communications bus.

[0003] The aim of the invention is to reduce the mass of cabling present in a launcher and to facilitate the connection interfaces between the different equipment.

[0004] This objective is achieved with a method of communication in a space launcher, between an on-board computer and a plurality of on-board equipment including a plurality of sensors, a plurality of actuators and a plurality of control units of critical subsystems of said launcher, said launcher further comprising an electrical energy storage unit intended to electrically power said on-board equipment.

[0005] According to the invention, this communication method is arranged to transport information exchanged between the on-board computer and the on-board equipment and electrical energy supplied by the energy storage unit to the on-board equipment via a common information-energy transport vector inside the space launcher.

[0006] In a first configuration of the invention, in which the communication method according to the invention implements a local Ethernet network to which the on-board computer and the plurality of on-board devices are connected, the electrical energy is transmitted to the on-board devices on the Ethernet network by Power Over Ethernet (PoE) technology.

[0007] In a second configuration of the invention, in which the communication method according to the invention implements an electrical energy bus to which the on-board computer and the plurality of on-board devices are connected, the information exchanged between the on-board computer and the plurality of on-board devices transits on the electrical energy bus by Broadband on Power Line (BPL) modulation technology.

[0008] According to another aspect of the invention, there is proposed a communication system in a space launcher, between an on-board computer and a plurality of on-board equipment including a plurality of sensors, a plurality of actuators and a plurality of control units of critical subsystems of said launcher, said launcher further comprising an electrical energy storage unit provided for electrically supplying said on-board equipment, this system implementing the communication method according to the invention, characterized in that it further comprises means for transporting information exchanged between the on-board computer and the on-board equipment and electrical energy supplied by the energy storage unit to the on-board equipment via a common information-energy transport vector inside the space launcher.

[0009] In a first configuration of the invention for which the communication system according to the invention integrates a local Ethernet network to which the on-board computer and the plurality of on-board devices are connected, this system can also advantageously comprise means for transmitting electrical energy to the on-board devices on the Ethernet network by Power Over Ethernet (PoE) technology.

[0010] Preferably, a functional communication bus is provided in the launcher. The communication bus carries the power.

[0011] A second configuration can also be provided in which the space launcher comprises an electrical energy bus to which the on-board computer and the plurality of on-board equipment are connected, the communication system can also advantageously comprise means for injecting into the electrical energy bus by the Broadband on Power Line (BPL) modulation technology information exchanged between the on-board computer and the plurality of on-board equipment.

[0012] BPL technology now allows for speeds of 1Gbit / s in ultra high frequency (≥100 MHz), which makes it possible to be in phase with the speed levels required in new space applications, including the sequence synchronized by the launcher's onboard computer.

[0013] The use of BPL thus makes it possible to do away with a dedicated communication cable between two pieces of equipment, but also to integrate the Ethernet switch into the launcher's power distribution system, thus reducing the mass and total cost of the launcher's electrical system.

[0014] The electrical power bus may be arranged to transmit electrical power at a direct voltage.

[0015] Preferably, the communication system bus is a functional communication bus in a launcher.

[0016] According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a space launcher comprising an on-board computer, a plurality of on-board equipment including a plurality of sensors, a plurality of actuators and a plurality of control units of critical subsystems of said launcher, an electrical energy storage unit provided for electrically powering said on-board equipment, and a communication system between the on-board computer and the plurality of on-board equipment, characterized in that this communication system is arranged to transport information exchanged between the on-board computer and the on-board equipment and electrical energy supplied by the energy storage unit to the on-board equipment via a common information-energy transport vector inside the space launcher.

[0017] Preferably, the space launcher may comprise one or more of the features of the preceding aspects. DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0018] Larepresents a first embodiment of a PoE communication system inside a space launcher;Larepresents a second embodiment of a BPL communication system inside a space launcher; andLaschematically represents an example of a PoE Ethernet switch implemented in the second configuration of the communication system according to the invention.

[0019] DEFINITIONS

[0020] BPLBroadband over the Power Line

[0021] A communication method enabling high-speed transmission of digital data over an electrical network.

[0022] FPGAField-Programmable Gate Array

[0023] Field programmable gate array.

[0024] JTAG JTAG bus used to program programmable logic devices (FPGAs and CPLDs) and microcontrollers.

[0025] PDSPower Distribution System

[0026] Power distribution system

[0027] PoEPower over Ethernet

[0028] Power over Ethernet (POE), which allows direct current electrical power to be transmitted, in addition to data at 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps. This technology is defined by the IEEE 802.3af standard, which is part of the IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet) standard.

[0029] PSEPower Sourcing Equipment

[0030] Power supply equipment

[0031] SoCSystem on a Chip

[0032] Complete integrated system embedded on a single integrated circuit DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] We will now describe, with reference to the, a first configuration of a communication system 1 according to the invention, equipping a space launcher.

[0034] This communication system 1 is built around a local Ethernet network 2 to which all the equipment on board the launcher is connected: an on-board computer 4, a radio communication unit 4, a set of sensors 6, a set of actuators 7, one or more control units 8 for the launcher engines, and a set of pumps 9 for the fluids used in the launcher. A PoE Ethernet switch 10 is arranged between an electrical energy storage unit 5 – for example an electrochemical battery – and the local Ethernet network 2.

[0035] In a second configuration of the invention illustrated by the, the configuration system 100 is built around a direct current electrical energy bus 200 powered from an electrical energy storage unit 5 via an adapter converter 50. This electrical energy bus 200 transports information by means of Broadband on Power Line (PBL) technology, which is exchanged between the on-board computer 3 connected to the electrical energy bus 200 via a BPL component 30 and a set of equipment on board the launcher: a radio communication unit 4, sensors 6, actuators 7, control units 8 of the launcher engines and pumps 9, via respective BPL components 40, 60, 70, 80, 90.

[0036] We will now describe, with reference to the, an exemplary embodiment of a PoE Ethernet switch 10 implemented in a PoE type communication system according to the invention. This switch 10 is built as an FPGA around a main controller 11, for example of the SAMA5D3 SoC type. It comprises a first connector 12 to a launcher battery and a second connector 19 providing 10 PoE outputs and connected to two 7-port Ethernet switches, for example of the KSZ9477 type, chained by an SGMII interface, power outputs 20 and a JTAG bus 21 for programming and controlling the FPGA circuit.

[0037] The PoE switch 10 further includes a regulator circuit 15 connected at the input to the battery connector 12 and delivering at the output a voltage of 3.3V to the switches 16 and to the main controller 11 which is connected via an isolation component 17 to two PoE PSE circuits, for example of the TPS23881 type, which supply the PoE connectors 19. The main controller 11 also controls a PDS component 13 delivering the power outputs 20.

[0038] Of course, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment which has just been described, and many other embodiments can be envisaged, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Method of communication in a space launcher, between an on-board computer (3) and a plurality of on-board equipment including a plurality of sensors (6), a plurality of actuators (7) and a plurality of control units (8, 9) of critical subsystems of said launcher, said launcher further comprising an electrical energy storage unit (5) provided for electrically powering said on-board equipment, characterized in that it is arranged to transport information exchanged between the on-board computer (3) and the on-board equipment and electrical energy supplied by the energy storage unit to the on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9) via a common information-energy transport vector (2, 200) inside the space launcher. Communication method according to the preceding claim, implementing a local Ethernet network (2) to which the on-board computer (3) and the plurality of on-board devices (6,7,8,9) are connected, characterized in that the electrical energy is transmitted to the on-board devices (6,7,8,9) on the Ethernet network (2) by Power Over Ethernet (POE) technology. Communication method according to one of the two preceding claims, implementing an electrical energy bus (200) to which the on-board computer (3) and the plurality of on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9) are connected, characterized in that the information exchanged between the on-board computer (3) and the plurality of on-board equipment (6, 8, 8, 9) transits on the electrical energy bus (200) by the Broadband on Power Line (BPL) modulation technology. Communication system (1, 100) in a space launcher, between an on-board computer (3) and a plurality of on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9) including a plurality of sensors (6), a plurality of actuators (7) and a plurality of control units (8, 9) of critical subsystems of said launcher, said launcher further comprising an electrical energy storage unit (5) provided for electrically powering said on-board equipment, this system implementing the communication method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises means for transporting information exchanged between the on-board computer (3) and the on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9) and electrical energy supplied by the energy storage unit (5) to the on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9) via an information-energy transport vector (2, 200) common inside the space launcher. Communication system (1) according to the preceding claim, integrating a local Ethernet network (2) to which the on-board computer (3) and the plurality of on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9) are connected, characterized in that it further comprises means (10) for transmitting electrical energy to the on-board equipment on the Ethernet network (2) by Power Over Ethernet (PoE) technology. Communication system (100) according to one of the two preceding claims, implementing an electrical energy bus (200) to which the on-board computer (3) and the plurality of on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9) are connected, characterized in that it further comprises means (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80) for injecting into the electrical energy bus (200) by the Broadband on Power Line (BPL) modulation technology information exchanged between the on-board computer (3) and the plurality of on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9). Space launcher comprising an on-board computer (3), a plurality of on-board equipment (6,7,8,9) including a plurality of sensors (6), a plurality of actuators (7) and a plurality of control units (8,9) of critical subsystems of said launcher, an electrical energy storage unit (5) provided for electrically powering said on-board equipment, and a communication system (1,100) between the on-board computer (3) and the plurality of on-board equipment (6,7,8,9), characterized in that this communication system (1,100) is arranged to transport information exchanged between the on-board computer (3) and the on-board equipment (6,7,8,9) and electrical energy supplied by the energy storage unit (5) to the on-board equipment (6,7,8,9) via a common information-energy transport vector (2,200) inside the space launcher. Space launcher according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the communication system (1) integrates a local Ethernet network (100) to which the on-board computer (3) and the plurality of on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9) are connected, characterized in that it further comprises means (10) for transmitting electrical energy to the on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9) on the Ethernet network (2) by Power Over Ethernet (POE) technology. Space launcher according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises an electrical energy bus (200) connecting the electrical energy storage unit (5) to the plurality of on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9), and means (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90) for injecting into the electrical energy bus by the Broadband on Power Line (BPL) modulation technology information exchanged between the on-board computer (30) and the plurality of on-board equipment (6, 7, 8, 9). Space launcher according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the electrical energy bus (200) is arranged to transmit electrical energy under a direct voltage.

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