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NASA Perseverance rover 200 MHZ CPU costs $200K
Listen, I know we're all complaining about the fact that CPUs and GPUs, components in general are expensive. But wait until you hear this one. NASA Perseverance rover uses a processor that runs at 200 MHz, and it did cost roughly $200K USD.
Obviously, it's a CPU that needs to be able to run in a somewhat stringent environment. But more details on it, have surfaced on the web. The technology of the on-board computer Rover Compute Element (RCE for short) is reduced for performance, far below that of normal desktop PCs.
The chip has a size of 130 mm 2 and a computing power of 240 to 366 MIPS, the processor requires five watts. It has 10.4 million transistors and is manufactured by BAE Systems using the 0.25-micrometer process. According to the manufacturer, the CPU, which costs around $ 200,000, is already in over 250 spacecraft. If the RCE fails, an identical backup system switches on in the Mars rover.
RAD750
The RAD750 processor works with clock rates from 110 to 200 MHz. In addition, the on-board computer has 256 MB of RAM, 2 GB of flash memory and a so-called warm electronics box to maintain a constant system temperature. However, it has a decisive advantage over other systems: robustness. The RCE withstands temperatures from -55 ° C to +125 ° C. In addition, the processor is not only extremely robust against extreme temperatures, but it also withstands radiation levels that would put conventional systems out of action. To put it into perspective: The RAD750 can withstand radiation of up to 10,000 Gray (Gy for short) - 6 Gy means death for humans.
NASA developers already fear that the system will crash in about 15 years due to external circumstances. In addition, the VxWorks operating system working in Perseverance would have to be supplied with new patches at some point. It remains to be seen how long the system will withstand the extremely difficult circumstances on Mars. A similar system of the Mars rover Curiosity has been running for almost ten years.
Kevin Mauro
Senior Member
Posts: 325
Joined: 2020-11-03
Senior Member
Posts: 325
Joined: 2020-11-03
#5891126 Posted on: 02/27/2021 08:35 AM
My comment isn't an insult to NASA. Think of it this way - had NASA more funds, who knows how they might approach the aforementioned. It isn't to also say they need to either.
Now - it has been well documented that budget issues long stunted the shuttle program; that's not in dispute so you cannot discount what I said earlier there is merit to it. I don't think that is to say its affected every area of NASA or methodologies but it does speak to private contracting on some level. On the other hand, private contracting (SpaceX and others) has provided additional innovation and perspective.
NASA is also going through the radiation belts and outside the magnetosphere, neither of which SpaceX has done to this extent. Launching a car into low Earth orbit is one thing, driving around on Mars for years is another. They have something they know works and it would cost a lot more to replace it if you wanted the same level of reliability.
My comment isn't an insult to NASA. Think of it this way - had NASA more funds, who knows how they might approach the aforementioned. It isn't to also say they need to either.
Now - it has been well documented that budget issues long stunted the shuttle program; that's not in dispute so you cannot discount what I said earlier there is merit to it. I don't think that is to say its affected every area of NASA or methodologies but it does speak to private contracting on some level. On the other hand, private contracting (SpaceX and others) has provided additional innovation and perspective.
Venix
Senior Member
Posts: 2579
Joined: 2016-08-01
Senior Member
Posts: 2579
Joined: 2016-08-01
#5891307 Posted on: 02/28/2021 02:01 AM
Every electronic on earth hit by a solar flare ...dead.... Mars rover be like "hihi that tickles!"
My comment isn't an insult to NASA. Think of it this way - had NASA more funds, who knows how they might approach the aforementioned. It isn't to also say they need to either.
Now - it has been well documented that budget issues long stunted the shuttle program; that's not in dispute so you cannot discount what I said earlier there is merit to it. I don't think that is to say its affected every area of NASA or methodologies but it does speak to private contracting on some level. On the other hand, private contracting (SpaceX and others) has provided additional innovation and perspective.
Well they kinda showed what they can do with unlimited budget ! I mean they went to the moon and back with hand knitted memory over half a century ago!
Every electronic on earth hit by a solar flare ...dead.... Mars rover be like "hihi that tickles!"
My comment isn't an insult to NASA. Think of it this way - had NASA more funds, who knows how they might approach the aforementioned. It isn't to also say they need to either.
Now - it has been well documented that budget issues long stunted the shuttle program; that's not in dispute so you cannot discount what I said earlier there is merit to it. I don't think that is to say its affected every area of NASA or methodologies but it does speak to private contracting on some level. On the other hand, private contracting (SpaceX and others) has provided additional innovation and perspective.
Well they kinda showed what they can do with unlimited budget ! I mean they went to the moon and back with hand knitted memory over half a century ago!
Astyanax
Senior Member
Posts: 14006
Joined: 2018-03-21
Senior Member
Posts: 14006
Joined: 2018-03-21
#5891319 Posted on: 02/28/2021 02:57 AM
Solar flares are diffused by the atmosphere.
Every electronic on earth hit by a solar flare ...dead.... Mars rover be like "hihi that tickles!"
Solar flares are diffused by the atmosphere.
Venix
Senior Member
Posts: 2579
Joined: 2016-08-01
Senior Member
Posts: 2579
Joined: 2016-08-01
#5891355 Posted on: 02/28/2021 09:45 AM
The usual ones yes they do, but if it is big enough ...it can cause local blackouts and much much worse .
https://www.pnas.org/content/116/47/23368 . Also my point was that such things as the mars rover etc they have to make em able to endure solar flares.
Solar flares are diffused by the atmosphere.
The usual ones yes they do, but if it is big enough ...it can cause local blackouts and much much worse .
https://www.pnas.org/content/116/47/23368 . Also my point was that such things as the mars rover etc they have to make em able to endure solar flares.
One of the most powerful solar flares ever seen, the Carrington Flare of 1859, was accompanied by a CME that hit Earth and buffeted the planet’s magnetic field, generating electric currents strong enough to melt telegraph wires. The flare energy is estimated at around 5 × 10^25 joules, equivalent to 10 billion megatons of TNT. During the past few decades, spacecraft have kept a close eye on the Sun. The strongest flare yet seen, in November 2003, was about 3 × 10^25 joules
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NASA is also going through the radiation belts and outside the magnetosphere, neither of which SpaceX has done to this extent. Launching a car into low Earth orbit is one thing, driving around on Mars for years is another. They have something they know works and it would cost a lot more to replace it if you wanted the same level of reliability.