The architecture of the PLATO instrument control unit

Author(s)
M Focardi, M Pancrazzi, E. Pace, R. Cosentino, Roland Ottensamer, Armin Luntzer
Abstract

The "PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars” (PLATO) is one of the three selected candidates for the next M-class mission in the framework of the European Space Agency Cosmic Vision 2015-2025, currently expected for launching by the end of 2018. PLATO aims to find and characterize exoplanetary systems by detecting planetary transits and carrying out asteroseismology of their parent stars. The Instrument Control Unit (ICU) is part of the on-board Data Processing System and it is devoted to process and compress digital data inputs from 18 processing units, collecting analog data from 34 FPAs hosting 4 CCDs each. ICU will be also in charge of managing telemetry and telecommands to and from the Service Module (SVM) and to collect the payload's housekeeping and science data. This paper will describe the ICU architecture and functionalities addressing the mission scientific requirements.

Organisation(s)
Department of Astrophysics
External organisation(s)
INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, INAF - Telescopio Nazionale Galileo
Journal
Proceedings of SPIE
Volume
8167
ISSN
0277-786X
Publication date
09-2011
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103003 Astronomy, 103004 Astrophysics
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/the-architecture-of-the-plato-instrument-control-unit(79f1ae60-5830-4a0a-965a-0281adf3d00c).html