The Diagnostic SpaceWire Interface (DSI) enables you to test up to eight ports concurrently, with diagnostics that have detected and resolved many problems that were previously either undetected or long unsolved. Link speed can be set up to 400Mb/s in steps of 1 Mbit/s or less. Diagnostics include time tagging and waveform capture, extensive and precise error insertion, and packets synchronized to start or end at the same time, typically to within less than 1 nanosecond of each other, or with fixed offsets. All interrupt codes and time codes (including multiple codes) can be transferred between SpaceWire and the user. All data transfers, in both directions on all ports, can be recorded for subsequent analysis or playback. DSI units can be synchronized with other DSI units so that time tags and synchronized outputs can be consistent over a system with many SpaceWire links. DSI units can also be synchronized with other units such as the SpaceWire Packet Generator (SPG) and the Multilink SpaceWire Recorder (MSR). DSI product brief pdf

The SpaceWire Packet Generator (SPG) enables you to test systems with exceptional overall throughput and response, removing dependency on the computer, its operating system and interface. Up to 12 dedicated packet processors are available, one for each direction of each port, together giving many GOPS (giga operations per second). These processors enable the SPG to transmit, receive, check and respond to packets with sub-microsecond latency and well over a Gbit/s total throughput. The bandwidth compression offered by the SPG also makes it ideal for remote test over the Internet, permitting earlier inter-partner test for collaborative projects, and thus finding and fixing problems before they incur cost and delay. SPG product brief pdf

The Multi-link SpaceWire Recorder (MSR) enables passive recording of SpaceWire transfers between devices and subsystems, on up to four links per MSR unit. It monitors packets in both directions on each SpaceWire link, adding time tags on the start and end of each packet, and sending data to a computer for recording and analysis.Software is provided to help manage and search the recordings. Multiple MSRs can be synchronized to give uniform time-tags across a system, even if the system has many SpaceWire links and the recordings are being made onto different computers. Low-level SpaceWire errors can be also be recorded and displayed as a waveform trace complete with protocol decode. The MSR brings to SpaceWire the comprehensive records that are available from earlier and much slower on-board technologies such as MIL 1553. MSR product brief pdf

The Multi-link SpaceWire Analyzer (MSA) has been found to be exceptionally useful as an ‘honest broker’ in resolving demarcation issues between SpaceWire devices. It monitors up to four links for errors and records waveforms of the wire signals before and after an error. It reports statistics of all the low-level SpaceWire characters (both data and control) going in each direction on each link. The MSA complements the Multi-link SpaceWire Recorder (MSR) by providing more detail at the low level (hardware) where the MSR provides more detail for observing higher-level protocols and transactions. MSA product brief pdf

The EtherSpaceLink ESL-RG201 provides you with a simple, and easy-to-use interface between your computer and a SpaceWire device or subsystem. Even with this entry-level product, diagnostics are available including time tags and error waveforms. A Time Code generator can generate strictly ECSS compliant Time Codes and any of the additional NASA Time Codes, and can report all of them. The ESL-RG201 replaces the ESL-RF201 and is similarly a simple and easy-to-use interface between your computer and a SpaceWire link. In addition, it also interfaces via Gbit Ethernet and has the link speed settable in steps of 1 Mbit/s or less up to 200Mbits/s. ESL-RG201 product brief pdf

The EtherSpaceLink ESL-RG401/8 includes all the capability of the ESL-RG201, including NASA Time Code generation and diagnostics. Enhancements for the ESL-RG401/8 include transmit speed settable in steps of 1 Mbit/s or less up to 400Mbits/s, and eight physical ports of which one can be used at a time. An additional benefit of the eight-port platform used by the ESL-RG401/8 is that different memory cards can be plugged in to turn the platform into one of the other products such as Diagnostic SpaceWire Interface, SpaceWire Packet Generator, or Multi-link SpaceWire Recorder. ESL RG401 product brief pdf

The Flexible SpaceWire Router (FSR) complements 4Links test equipment. It has eight ports and can be configured (by the user) as any of a range of SpaceWire routing switches, for example as a single 8-port switch, as two independent four-port switches or one three-port and one five-port switch. Switch configurations may be fully ECSS compliant, or offer additional capabilities. Data concentrators / de-concentrators (multiplexers / de-multiplexers) can also be configured. Traffic monitoring is also available with Packet Statistics summarizing the traffic from each port to each port, and reporting statistics via the Ethernet connection. FSR product brief pdf

And to use any SpaceWire devices or test equipment, our lab Cables are flexible and easy to use. Cable product brief pdf

All 4Links test products make testing SpaceWire easy for you, whatever the computer and operating system you use, wherever you are and wherever in the world the system you are testing. They interface to a computer via Gbit Ethernet and use Internet Protocols so that they can be accessed remotely (such as from partners collaborating on a mission). They do not require a software driver so can run under almost any operating system. User API’s and example programs are supplied with full source code. Units have a robust power connector taking DC power (both 24(28)V nominal Aerospace and 48V nominal telecommunications standards) and are supplied with a universal AC adaptor. All have a large, clear front-panel display for useful operational information independent from software. 

The complete range is built on a small number of modular hardware platforms using a common 1U 19" rack-mount style case. They have 1 or 8 SpaceWire ports, and offer options in external connectors for synchronization/triggers and for internal resources. By plugging in a memory card, each platform (except that for the RG201) can be configured to become any one of the 4Links test products. The 8-port platforms, for example, can become an MSR, DSI, SPG, ESL, MSA or FSR.                                  

Products available in each platform: (small changes have been made to the product and platform codes to make them more consistent and to offer wider choice)

Additional/alternate functionality can be obtained simply by changing the memory cards in your platform (see the table above), so that one box can serve you for multiple jobs (and offer a significant cost saving over multiple boxes). If you need more SpaceWire ports or several concurrently available functions, then you will need to add extra platforms, but they will share the characteristics of your existing products.

Diagnostic and other Options can improve the usefulness of many of 4Links’ products while saving expense for users who do not need the capability (see below for a table of available options). They can be purchased at the same time as the equipment, or later when the need arises.

Upgrades can be supplied as new memory cards, without returning the product to 4Links. In the products table above, a new memory card can be purchased to turn any of the products into any other product in the same column or (if fewer active ports are required for the new function) into any product to the left of the column. In the options table below, any additional options may be purchased as an upgrade, again needing no return of product. Hardware upgrades are also available, but do require return to 4Links.

Options available in each product

Apart from SpaceWire test equipment and cables, we also offer

SpaceWire Validation Service (SVS) Many customers have used 4Links equipment to detect and resolve bugs successfully. At the same time, other SpaceWire designs have been presented to 4Links that were claimed to be thoroughly validated, in which we have found serious errors. Having originally proposed the standard that evolved to SpaceWire, we have a longer experience of the technology and its implementation that any other organization. We are happy to use that experience together with the unique detection and diagnostic capabilities of our equipment to check your design, or to check a product that you plan to use or buy, and provide a "SpaceWire Validated by 4Links" certificate. SVS product brief pdf

SpaceWire Intellectual Property (SIP) Many of the bugs found and resolved by 4Links test equipment result from the asynchronous design of the SpaceWire receiver. 4Links long ago switched to a fully synchronous receiver design*, and consequently have an exceptionally robust design free from difficult layout/timing constraints and ideally suited to FPGA implementations. We are now preparing to offer a range of SpaceWire IP products, from simple interfaces to complex systems-on-chip that feature this simple, robust, design. Ask 4Links to contact you about robust SpaceWire IP

See Why SpaceWire users buy SpaceWire test equipment from 4Links
For quotations or further information on the products described, for new equipment or upgrade, for validation service or IP, please email: info@4Links.co.uk , or telephone: +44 1908 642001.

4Links products are distributed in North America by Aeroflex Colorado Springs, and 4Links are represented in Japan by Prominent Network.

( SpaceWire is a simple networking technology whose benefits, as described by NASA, can be summarized as lower cost, less development time and better performance. The technology was originally proposed as a standard (by 4Links staff) in the UK, and evolved via an IEEE standard to a European Space Agency (ESA) ECSS standard, and to use by the space industry world-wide. NASA also say that "To understand the benefit of SpaceWire, you can compare the speed of a dial-up modem to a high-speed broadband Internet connection.")

* Patents Pending

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