Flight Software Framework
cFS-based Autonomous Flight Software Framework
The flight software framework is the layered computational platform, comprising an operating system, middleware, and application layer, that runs all autonomous lunar systems. Implemented using real-time operating systems such as VxWorks, RTEMS, or NASA's core Flight System, it decouples tasks through publish-subscribe messaging and detects hangs using watchdog timers. Operating in the lunar radiation environment causes memory corruption, requiring defensive checksums and redundant state tracking. To maintain continuous operations across a 100-year lifetime without human intervention, the framework autonomously deploys, formally verifies, and hot-patches updates without full system restarts.
Operating system, middleware, application layer, and remote update mechanism
Purpose
Provide the software platform running all Ark autonomous systems
Context
Component of L1-CDH within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸Layered software architecture separates OS, middleware, and application layers for modularity
- ▸Message-passing publish-subscribe pattern decouples software components for independent update
- ▸Watchdog timers and software heartbeats detect task hangs and trigger recovery
- ▸Formal verification of safety-critical paths ensures correctness of autonomous decisions
- ▸Over-the-air software update capability enables 100-year evolution of flight software
Typical implementations
- ▸NASA core Flight System (cFS) open-source flight software framework
- ▸VxWorks RTOS (Wind River) - most widely used spacecraft RTOS
- ▸RTEMS real-time OS (open source, used on multiple NASA missions)
- ▸F Prime (F') flight software framework (JPL, used on Ingenuity helicopter)
Lunar considerations
- ▸Software must evolve over 100 years while maintaining backward compatibility with hardware
- ▸Autonomous software updates must be verified before deployment (no human review)
- ▸Memory corruption from radiation requires defensive coding (checksums, redundant state)
- ▸Must support hot-patching without full system restart to maintain continuous operations
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Provide the software platform running all Ark autonomous systems |
Operational
| thermal range c | -173, 127 |
| lifetime years | 100 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Complete flight software environment for all Ark operations
Requires
- Processing hardware to execute software
- Persistent storage for software images and state
Decomposes into
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Flight Software Framework" (L2-CDH-SW). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L2-CDH-SW
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.