Space appliance development platform "Space Cube 2" [Satellite systems]

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

As scientific satellite systems become bigger and carry more varied equipment, it becomes challenging for scientific satellite developers to promote efficiency in development and testing - while ensuring a high level of reliability. JAXA has been working on satellite architecture to resolve this challenge, and has created the "Space Cube 2". SpaceCube2 is a data processing unit, developed as a part of the data-processing computer for the next generation scientific satellites. It has a "scalable" architecture that can be used for both big and small satellites. Also, it supports "SpaceWire", a next generation network standard for spacecraft based on IEEE1355 - that provides networked satellite architecture.

The SpaceCube 2 CPU board uses eT-Kernel and eBinder as the standard software development environment, and features HR5000, 64-bit MPU with MIPS 5 Kf architecture, in the compact size of 168mm (length) x 168mm (width). It also features a compact PCI bus for the internal bus, SIO for the external communication interface, and SpaceWire for connections between equipment or modules for artificial satellites. The Space Cube 2 CPU board is expected to be widely used by space-related companies and Universities, as well as JAXA.

Mercury project: BepiColombo
A joint mission of JAXA and ESA (European Space Agency) 



Venus project: Planet-C
A JAXA mission




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