FLYING CFDP ON MESSENGER

Abstract

The MESSENGER mission to Mercury will downlink data files via a protocol defined by the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) called the CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP). A reduced implementation of the protocol was developed for the spacecraft due to various system constraints and operational requirements. The software operates in conjunction with the playback features of the MESSENGER flight software allowing for the autonomous downlinking of files as well as providing for the management of the file system by the mission operations team. This paper presents the software implementation, metrics, and the lessons learned.