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Creating and uploading schedules (Schedule)

The spacecraft has the ability to upload schedules to perform specified actions at specific time periods (for example, to orient and stabilize the spacecraft at a certain point for taking photos). The sequence of actions for uploading the schedule on board the spacecraft:

  1. Turn on OrbiCraft 3D and connect the ground VHF via USB.

  2. Launch Houston Server and Houston App

  3. Open Settings Houston App (File → Parameters) (Picture 1):

    Houston App Settings

    Picture 1. Houston App Settings

  4. In the 14th line of settings, set BoardAddrress to 0x2 (Picture 2):

    Device address

    Picture 2. Device address

  5. Using the command 2-421A request_Time, make sure that the current UTC time is set on the onboard VHF (Picture 3):

    On-board VHF time request

    Picture 3. Time request on the on-board VHF

  6. To view the on-board time, select the line with the answer 0x401 ~tc_posix_time. You will see the on-board time in the Fields panel (Picture 4):

    View on-board time

    Picture 4. View on-board time

  7. If the time on the on–board VHF differs significantly from the current time, it must be set with the command 2-4213 set_Time, by checking the Set time when sending (Picture 5):

    Setting the correct time

    Picture 5. Setting the correct time

  8. In the Houston App create a schedule Schedule with selected teams (Picture 6):

danger

Attention! The execution time of the first command must be set, with the check box Calendar time (the time is specified in UTC).

Schedule with selected commands

Picture 6. Schedule with selected teams

  1. Save the schedule in the format.bin by clicking Save... (Picture 7):

    Saving the schedule

    Picture 7. Saving the schedule

  2. Launch the Houston Telnet Client and make sure that the status bar of the main window displays the status of Server: connected (Picture 8):

    Status bar in Houston Telnet Client

    Picture 8. Status bar in Houston Telnet Client

  3. Open the settings Houston Telnet Client and install Telnet port → 60002 (Picture 9):

    Houston Telnet Client Settings

    Picture 9. Houston Telnet Client Settings

  4. Check the boxes CR LF and Ymodem and press the ls button to check the connection with VHF and the availability of downloaded files. The figure shows that there are 4 files in memory named 1.bin, 2.bin, 3.bin and 4.bin (Picture 10):

    Checking the connection with VHF and the availability of downloaded files

    Picture 10. Checking the connection with VHF and the availability of downloaded files

  5. Click the Send File... button, select the schedule file with the extension .bin from the folder C:\SX-Houston-app_v214.orbicraft.rc1\resources\schedule (Picture 11):

    Selecting a schedule file

    Picture 11. Selecting a schedule file

  6. Wait for the file to download, the message File send ends (Picture 12) will appear in the log:

    File upload

    Picture 12. Uploading a file

  7. You can verify the successful download of the file by clicking on the ls button;

  8. In the Houston App issue the command 2-4230 tc_cmdshedule_load_from_file with the value value corresponding to the name of the file recorded on the VHF and wait for the response ~ASK and execution of commands from the schedule (Picture 13):

    Command execution response

    Picture 13. The response about the execution of commands