Advanced Technology Airborne Computer: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|TypeComputer ofused computerby the US Navy and NASA}}

{{One source|date=June 2024}}

The '''Advanced Technology Airborne Computer''' (ATAC) was a product of [[Itek]] (a division of [[Litton Industries]]), used on US naval aircraft, and the NASA [[Galileo (spacecraft)]].<ref name=Tomayko-1988>{{cite report |last=Tomayko |first=James E. |title=Computers in Spaceflight: The NASA Experience |publisher=NASA History Office |date=March 1988 |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19880069935/downloads/19880069935.pdf |access-date=29 October 2020 |archive-date=12 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212194455/https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19880069935/downloads/19880069935.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{rp|198–201}}

The ATAC was built using [[AM2901|AMD 2901]] 4-bit processors and had a basic cycle time of 250 ns.<ref name=Tomayko-1988/>{{rp|198}} It could be programmed in [[HAL/S]], and could be [[microprogramming|microprogrammed]] to add new instructions. The [[Galileo project]] added four instructions.

== Use onby USGalileo Naval aircraftproject ==

The Galileo Attitude and Articulation Control System (AACSE) was controlled by two Itek Advanced Technology Airborne Computers (ATAC), built using radiation-hardened 2901s[[AMD Am2900|2901]]s.<ref name=Tomayko-1988/>{{rp|201,207}} The project wrote their own GRACOS (Galileo realtime Attitude Control Operating System).

{{empty section|date=January 2022}} <!-- classified as of 1988, maybe still -->

The [[Galileo project]] had radiation-hardened 2901 processors made (by Sandia National Lab) for the spacecraft.<ref name=Tomayko-1988/>{{rp|202}}

== Use by [[Galileo project]] ==

The Galileo Attitude and Articulation Control System (AACSE) was controlled by two Itek Advanced Technology Airborne Computers (ATAC), built using radiation-hardened 2901s.<ref name=Tomayko-1988/>{{rp|201,207}} The project wrote their own GRACOS (Galileo realtime Attitude Control Operating System).

The Galileo project had radiation-hardened 2901 processors made (by Sandia National Lab) for the spacecraft.<ref name=Tomayko-1988/>{{rp|202}}

== References ==