Flash-memories in Space Applications: Trends and Challenges

Nowadays space applications are provided with a processing power absolutely overcoming the one available just a few years ago. Typical mission-critical space system applications include also the issue of solid-state recorder(s). Flash-memories are nonvolatile, shock-resistant and power-economic, but in turn have different drawbacks. A solid-state recorder for space applications should satisfy many different constraints especially because of the issues related to radiations: proper countermeasures are needed, together with EDAC and testing techniques in order to improve the dependability of the whole system. Different and quite often contrasting dimensions need to be explored during the design of a flash-memory based solid- state recorder. In particular, we shall explore the most important flash-memory design dimensions and trade-offs to tackle during the design of flash-based hard disks for space application

Exploring Design Dimensions in Flash-based Mass-memory Devices

Mission-critical space system applications present several issues: a typical one is the design of a mass-memory device (i.e., a solid- state recorder). This goal could be accomplished by using flash- memories: the exploration of a huge number of parameters and trade-offs is needed. On the one hand flash-memories are nonvolatile, shock-resistant and power-economic, but on the other hand their cost is higher than normal hard disk, the number of erasure cycles is bounded and other different drawbacks have to be considered. In addition space environment presents various issues especially because of radiations: the design of a flash- memory based solid-state recorder implies the exploration of different and quite often contrasting dimensions. No systematic approach has so far been proposed to consider them all as a whole: as a consequence the design of flash-based mass-memory device for space applications is intended to be supported by a novel design environment currently under development and refinemen

FLARE: A design environment for FLASH-based space applications

Designing a mass-memory device (i.e., a solid-state recorder) is one of the typical issues of mission-critical space system applications. Flash-memories could be used for this goal: a huge number of parameters and trade-offs need to be explored. Flash-memories are nonvolatile, shock-resistant and power-economic, but in turn have different drawback: e.g., their cost is higher than normal hard disk and the number of erasure cycles is bounded. Moreover space environment presents various issues especially because of radiations: different and quite often contrasting dimensions need to be explored during the design of a flash-memory based solid-state recorder. No systematic approach has so far been proposed to consider them all as a whole: as a consequence a novel design environment currently under development is aimed at supporting the design of flash-based mass-memory device for space application

Application of advanced technology to space automation

Automated operations in space provide the key to optimized mission design and data acquisition at minimum cost for the future. The results of this study strongly accentuate this statement and should provide further incentive for immediate development of specific automtion technology as defined herein. Essential automation technology requirements were identified for future programs. The study was undertaken to address the future role of automation in the space program, the potential benefits to be derived, and the technology efforts that should be directed toward obtaining these benefits

Shuttle Ground Operations Efficiencies/Technologies (SGOE/T) study. Volume 2: Ground Operations evaluation

The Ground Operations Evaluation describes the breath and depth of the various study elements selected as a result of an operational analysis conducted during the early part of the study. Analysis techniques used for the evaluation are described in detail. Elements selected for further evaluation are identified; the results of the analysis documented; and a follow-on course of action recommended. The background and rationale for developing recommendations for the current Shuttle or for future programs is presented

Quantum computing with neutral atoms

We develop a method to entangle neutral atoms using cold controlled collisions. We analyze this method in two particular set-ups: optical lattices and magnetic micro-traps. Both offer the possibility of performing certain multi-particle operations in parallel. Using this fact, we show how to implement efficient quantum error correction and schemes for fault-tolerant computing.Comment: 21 pages, 19 figure

Sequential Circuit Design for Embedded Cryptographic Applications Resilient to Adversarial Faults

In the relatively young field of fault-tolerant cryptography, the main research effort has focused exclusively on the protection of the data path of cryptographic circuits. To date, however, we have not found any work that aims at protecting the control logic of these circuits against fault attacks, which thus remains the proverbial Achilles’ heel. Motivated by a hypothetical yet realistic fault analysis attack that, in principle, could be mounted against any modular exponentiation engine, even one with appropriate data path protection, we set out to close this remaining gap. In this paper, we present guidelines for the design of multifault-resilient sequential control logic based on standard Error-Detecting Codes (EDCs) with large minimum distance. We introduce a metric that measures the effectiveness of the error detection technique in terms of the effort the attacker has to make in relation to the area overhead spent in implementing the EDC. Our comparison shows that the proposed EDC-based technique provides superior performance when compared against regular N-modular redundancy techniques. Furthermore, our technique scales well and does not affect the critical path delay