An architecture for the CLUSTER digital wave processing unit

The four ESA CLUSTER spacecraft are due to be launched in 1995 to investigate medium and small scale phenomena in the Earth´s magnetosphere as part of the ESA/NASA Solar Terrestrial Science Programme. Among other instruments proposed for this mission is a plasma wave instrument which is the amalgamation of a number of sensors and signal processing circuits with a central digital wave processing unit. This consortium approach is predicted on efficiencies to be gained by pooling resources of mass, power and telemetry. A further concept which is the basis of the CLUSTER digital wave processing unit is that there are major advantages in moving intelligence from the scientists local computer to on-board the spacecraft