MSG Laptop Computer (MLC) Transition to A31p Thinkpad

MSG currently uses a modified 760XD –Modifications more memory (104mb) a larger hard drive (5 gb) A31p provided by ISS for payload use –1 gb ram –60 gb hard disk –Internal ethernet, USB and IEEE 1394

Transition to A31p Thinkpad Transition is a misnomer –760XD uses ethernet, serial and 1553 –A31p will use ethernet, serial and 1553 A31p will use the existing cables and PCMCIA modules A31p will use internal ethernet as default with the ability to support pcmcia ethernet if necessary

MSG SOFTWARE The MLC Server (MLCS) software was written, verified and validated in 2000 The software was written to run under Windows NT The A31p runs Windows 2000 which is based upon Windows NT The MLCS that is in orbit now runs without modification on the A31p

1553B MSG Interface Serial I/O Modules MRDL (ETHERNET) Hard Disk (Spooling) Server Kernel Timeliner File Transfer Ext Cmd Proc App Cmd Proc Server Services Memory Queues MSG Experiments ISS Server Functional Diagram

MSG SOFTWARE The MLCS has been running on the A31p since August 2004 (version 2.6) Several updates have been made to the software that take advantage of the A31p’s additional abilities. The MLCS has been verified with each update against the MSG Engineering Unit in the MDL (current version is 2.8)

MSG SOFTWARE Updates include: –MLC Web Server – allows access to MLC data via HTML –Change to background to help identify MLC load –Provided ability to increase recording sizes –Provide visible indication of connectivity

Operational Differences Uses internal ethernet as default instead of pcmcia card May have to be loaded prior to use –An A31p has already been loaded at KSC and identified for MSG’s use If loading is required MSG has provided two copies of the load CD/DVD on approved media

Operational Differences Load procedures have been created and verified Takes less than 10 minutes to load the laptop Requires minimal crew time Has been verified to overwrite both Linux and Windows loads. Provides positive identification of MLCS being loaded