N-version programming for nanosatellite telemetry processing

Software is a key element that ensures the functioning of any modern complex technical system. One such system is the constellation of spacecraft and associated ground control complexes that provide reception, transmission, and processing of collected telemetry. The process of data acquisition and its subsequent processing is critical to the flight control of the spacecraft and its onboard scientific equipment. Furthermore, telemetry data processed by ground control systems involves large volumes of raw data, the processing of which is a complicated and time-consuming task. In order to solve this problem, various methods of automatic data processing are used. Improving them is a key factor in ensuring the fault tolerance of onboard software and hardware, improving its reliability. Of all the existing widely-used methods of data processing, we shall focus on N-version programming (NVP) approach. N-version programming has firmly established itself as an effective method for increasing software reliability and designing fault-tolerant systems. Since its inception in the 1970s, this approach has been deeply connected with the development of aerospace software systems, including, among others, satellite ground control stations. In light of the aforementioned, this paper discusses the application of NVP for processing telemetry data gathered from nanosatellites (CubeSats). Due to the fact that there exists a skeptical view on the NVP approach in terms of its efficiency, the author covers this issue in existing literature in terms of the approach’s applicability for processing satellite telemetry.