The GUIDO project is articulated in three Actions (see the figure "Overview of the project activities" attached).
Action 1: Product Prototyping and Optimization
This activity included the delta-developments required for the deployment and optimization of the guidance algorithm on the target hardware. First, a software and processor in the loop profiling has been carried out to identify the most promising function which could be optimized, both in terms of number of calls and computational time. A study on the memory allocation was then performed to understand possible area of improvement of the convex solver. A trade off analysis with different development kits was performed, identifying the Kria KD240 as the target for the deployment, given its small power envelope and computational capabilities. An image of the board integrated with the ETHILE facility is attached (see the figure "Kria board deployed and interfaces with the ETHILE facility").
First, the inputs and outputs file formats for the guidance algorithm have been standardized to allow for test repeatability, debugging, and cope with on-board execution requirements. Protobufs were exploited to unify and simplify management of messages between facilities employing different programming languages. Then, the algorithm deployment procedure was consolidated and a set of unit and regression tests introduced to monitor the effectiveness of the deployment and identify undesired modifications. Finally, a communication layer with the UDP protocol was developed and tested to allow for the commanding the computed solutions with the ETHILE facility.
Action 2: Validation – Autonomous Guidance Unit Validation
As part of the validation activities, some delta-development identified during the first batch of simulations have been performed to improve the simulation realism and overcome some minor issues identified during the execution of the first set of simulations. These include the time synchronization between the ETHILE facility and SPESI and the deployment of the optimized algorithm on the Kria. Updates to the calibration procedure to account for the new setup were introduced. Intermediate step-by-step subsystem testing were performed to deal with the additional complexity introduced by the presence of the hardware. The sensor validation has been performed on different transfer scenarios. Two configurations were studied: one with the algorithm running fully on the processing system and a hybrid configuration exploiting both the processing system and the programmable logic on the Kria. The tests were performed in open-loop, and the ETHILE facility was used to simulate the actual thrust noise coming from the thruster actuation. The orbit propagation is performed by SPESI. Simulations showed that the power required is below 3W, with large margins in terms of programmable logic resources and algorithm (solver) optimization.
Action 3 – Exploitation and Knowledge Transfer: Market Assessment and Exploitation
This activity combined desk research aimed at outlining the knowledge landscape, the structure of the supply chain, and the market outlook of the small satellite domain and exercises/brainstorming sessions aimed at further reflecting on the value proposition of the GUIDOboard and its competitive advantages, inputs for re-examining the business proposition. For what concerns the market analysis, the outcomes were an overview of the guidance computers sector and market (its profile, dimension, and trend) and competitive intelligence analysis.
