Case Studies
Ensuring Meaningful Scientific Research Data from Space
Overview
Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms | |
Aerospace | |
Product Research & Development Quality Assurance | |
Remote Collaboration Remote Control | |
Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration | |
Operational Impact
Communication within the FLUMIAS ground segment is performed exclusively by Hazelcast. It consists of five elements: Distribution of digital images extracted from the converted analogue video signal (only the image part showing the microscope view is used), Distribution of processed telemetry data obtained from the flight segment, Collection of experiment settings and engineering commands for processing and transmission to the flight segment, Distribution of health and connection status data for communication link and ground system elements, Distribution of experiment configuration data (experiment name, predefined position and laser illumination level settings) for the PI stations. | |
Hazelcast was used in both TEXUS missions that included the FLUMIAS experiment, and worked out well both times. It was used in the ground segments to connect ground stations between scientists and the engineering support team that controlled the overall setting and proper functioning of the microscope. It was part of the system that helped to ensure meaningful scientific data was obtained by allowing the necessary adjustments to experiment settings during the mission. Specifically, it contributed to the payload support system that allowed scientists to adjust settings of the confocal laser scanning microscope during the flight of the sounding rocket. It was used to ensure that images taken by the microscope were in focus and produced scientific value for the observers or scientists. | |
The FLUMIAS experiment facility was shared between three groups of scientists who carried out subexperiments of their own. Although not the preferred solution for each group of scientists the approach to share the experiment hardware was the optimal solution based on the large demand of the scientific community for such a high-resolution live-cell imaging system and on the high cost inherent with bringing the FLUMIAS experiment facility to space. So the system Airbus designed was responsible for switching between the sub-experiments and allowing scientists to make proper adjustments of their settings, e.g., changing their actual field of view or the intensity of the laser light. | |
Quantitative Benefit
More than 70 TEXUS missions have been carried out. | |
A TEXUS mission provides about 6 minutes of experiment time under microgravity conditions. | |
The FLUMIAS experiment facility was shared between three groups of scientists. | |