Neptec Customer Spotlight
QNX-based vision system puts focus on shuttle safety

The Customer

Neptec is a leader in the design, development and integration of mission-critical real-time software, harsh environment electronics design and digital signal processing for mission critical space, healthcare, aerospace, defense, and security applications.

The Challenge

Neptec needed an RTOS to power the Laser Camera System (LCS) for NASA’s Return to Flight mission scheduled for July 13, 2005. Developed by Neptec Design Group, a developer of space vision systems, the LCS will play a key role in this mission, the first since the Columbia disaster in 2003.

The QNX Advantage

After considering their history of using QNX for mission critical applications, Neptec chose QNX® Neutrino® RTOS to power the Laser Camera System for NASA’s Return to Flight mission because of its ultra-reliability. The QNX-based LCS will provide 3D images of the exterior of the shuttle Discovery for safety inspection purposes during the 13-day mission. Its unmatched dependability has made QNX Neutrino the operating system of choice for applications like this where system failure is not an option.

The Result

The crew of the space shuttle Discovery will use Neptec’s LCS to inspect the exterior of the shuttle during the 13-day flight. The LCS, which is attached to a boom at the end of the shuttle’s Canadarm, will use a scanning mechanism to generate three-dimensional map of the shuttle’s exterior surface in real time. The crew will use the generated images to identify even the smallest amount of damage to the outside of the spacecraft.

“The LCS is a critical element of NASA’s Return to Flight mission and we have to be sure it is running on the most reliable operating system available,” said Iain Christie, vice president of research and development at Neptec. “Selecting the QNX Neutrino RTOS was an easy decision because we already know that the system can handle the extreme conditions found in space and that it meets our demands for ultra-reliability. We will continue to use QNX technology all of our realtime embedded projects.”