Advanced Technology Airborne Computer: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:45, 4 January 2022

Revision as of 22:02, 4 January 2022

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The '''Advanced Technology Airborne Computer''' (ATAC) was a product of [[Itek]] (a division of [[Litton Industries]]), used on US naval aircraft, and the NASA spacecraft ([[Galileo (spacecraft)]], and the [[Space Shuttle]]).<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}}</ref>{{rp|198–201}}

The ATAC was built using [[2900 seriesAm2901]]{{clarify|date=January 2022}} 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 on US Naval aircraft ==

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

== 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 project.<ref name=Tomayko-1988/>{{rp|202}}

== References ==