BAE Systems’ radiation-hardened computers helped navigate NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to successful insertion into orbit around that planet on March 10. The mission was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in August 2005, and the two BAE Systems RAD750 microprocessors on board the spacecraft helped steer it on its 310 million-mile journey to the Red Planet.
NASA’s orbiter will examine the atmosphere, surface and subsurface of Mars. Researchers hope to learn more about the history and distribution of water on the planet to improve their understanding of planetary climate change and help answer whether Mars ever supported life. The orbiter also will evaluate potential landing sites for future missions.
BAE Systems has a 20-year history of providing radiation-hardened solutions for U.S. space programs. Its RAD6000 computers are installed on each of the still-broadcasting Mars Exploration Rovers, launched in 2003. The only control and data computers aboard the two Rovers, they continue to help execute that exploration.
The RAD750 represents the next generation of space microprocessors and were vital in NASA’s Deep Impact mission. NASA’s program managers are investigating future options for the Deep Impact flyby spacecraft, which is on a trajectory to fly past Earth in December 2007.
