Lawrence Bradley
Following an Integrated Masters in Mathematical Physics at the University of Edinburgh I joined Blue Skies Space Ltd. (BSSL) as a Software Engineer. During my time I have mostly worked on simulation tools, including orbital analysis software and instrument performance simulators. Over the past year I have developed on-board software for our first satellite Mauve.
He/Him
Blue Skies Space
Software Engineer
Session
The Mauve Space Mission is a 16u smallsat, designed by Blue Skies Space, for studying stars in UV and visible wavelengths. It is a first of its kind private space mission, doing deep space observations. Mauve’s primary method of pointing at its desired target is through two star trackers. However, the star trackers are not perfectly aligned with the telescope boresight which can cause the target to not be centred. Measurements from the detector can be used by on-board software to help correct this misalignment and keep the boresight focused on the target.
This talk will look at the role Python played in the development of some of Mauve’s onboard software, from a proof of concept simulator through to the flight code currently operating in orbit. I will discuss the challenges during development, including constraints from the satellite manufacturers, and consider if Python is the right tool for onboard software.