How is the Avionics Laboratory equipped? As part of the joint Avionics systems Laboratory, shared with the Software & Simulation laboratory, the End-to-End Avionics Test Bench is a model of an avionics system, containing a complete virtual spacecraft model including on-board software and data systems and linked to a simulated ground segment. Data architectures or building blocks can be run within the Test Bench, or physical test items can be linked to it on a closed-loop basis. In addition the separate Laboratory sections are equipped as follows:   The Data Systems Laboratory, divided into three sections: On-board Computer and Data Handling Area - Equipment includes bus protocol test beds, ERC32 and LEON2-FT evaluation boards and a set of interconnected Data Handling Lab units (RASTA). Payload Data Processing Area – Infrastructure required to validate on-board payload data processing architectures, high capacity and high speed storage functions and high-speed links and networks. The area hosts a full suite of test equipment for SpaceWire networks and underlying building blocks. In addition evaluation boards for digital signal processors allow demonstrating representative applications related to on-board data compression or feature extraction. Microelectronic area – Facilities here include UNIX workstations and PCs, hardware and software for designing ICs and programming FPGAs, simulation and emulation tools, prototype samples and system demonstrators.     The Control Systems Laboratory, second part of the Avionics Laboratory,is divided into two sections: The Control Hardware Lab is equipped with: an optical table, thermal chamber, angular position table, rotation tables, Active Pixel Sensor test benches and sun simulator sensor testing. a dSpace-based test bench for closed-loop testing with H/W and S/W in-the-loop (e.g. prototyping of CMG-based AOCS or Formation Flying GNC with RF metrology). The Control Software Lab supports the development and maintenance of GNC/AOCS toolkits and Astrodynamics SW tools of three categories: New tools for emerging applications and techniques (developed in cooperation between ESA, academia and industry): e.g. PESDO (EDLS sizing), PANGU (Planetary scene generation), Periodic Control Toolbox, Worst Case Analysis, Non Linear Programming Solvers (Advanced control toolkits) Commercial European software tools (available to industry): ASTOS for trajectory optimization, STA (European STK developed with Universities), GNC Development Environment (GNCDE) including a comprehensive set of Simulink models, application templates, covariance/Monte-Carlo/statistical tools, and visualisation tools Internal tools (used by the Control Systems Division): AOCS/GNC libraries based on Matlab-Simulink models, databases of relevance for ESA projects.       Last update: 28 September 2009 More information  •  Avionics Laboratory (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEM4U3KVUZF_0.html)  •  What kind of testing does the Avionics Laboratory carry out? (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEM233KVUZF_0.html)  •  What benefits does the Avionics Laboratory deliver? (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEMZ83KVUZF_0.html)  •  What services does the Avionics Laboratory offer? (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEM7B3KVUZF_0.html)  •  Contact Avionics Laboratory (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEMSG3KVUZF_0.html) Related information  •  Control Systems (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEMAAM0P0WF_0.html)  •  Data Systems (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEMQAM0P0WF_0.html) Laboratories  •  Electrical (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEMW5GRHKHF_0.html)  •  Mechanical (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEMFH00P0WF_0.html)  •  Systems (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEMGO00P0WF_0.html)  •  Materials and Electrical Components Laboratories (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Space_Engineering/SEMNK00P0WF_0.html)  •  ESTEC - ESA's technical heart (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ESTEC/index.html)