On Friday 14th April, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) mission, a groundbreaking research project aimed at exploring Jupiter’s icy moons with an estimated duration of seven years.
JUICE will be one of the most comprehensive studies of Jupiter’s moons undertaken, generating significant scientific discoveries, and paving the way for future exploration of the outer solar system.
In this context, safety and security constitute critical aspects of the mission to guarantee the reliability of the spacecraft and software solutions become an efficient solution for this aspect. JUICE was launched with cutting-edge software virtualization technology powered by XtratuM, a widely recognized hypervisor used in multiple space missions.
XtratuM’s proven track record of success with more than 500 satellites orbiting with this virtualization solution, makes the software an ideal choice for the JUICE Mission. The hypervisor will allow the mission to partition its software into multiple isolated virtual environments with its own dedicated resources to improve the overall reliability and security of the mission’s system, making it less vulnerable to software failures.
Furthermore, XtratuM will enable the spacecraft to run different operating systems and software applications simultaneously, without interfering with one another. This will allow the mission to carry out multiple tasks and operations at the same time, increasing its efficiency and productivity.
“The successful launch of JUICE proves the power and reliability of XtratuM hypervisor in mission-critical environments.” said Manuel Muñoz, CEO at fentISS. “We are thrilled to have played a key role in this project and we look forward to continuing to partner with cutting-edge organizations to push the boundaries of deep-space exploration”.
