The SpaceWire User’s Guide is compiled from several papers written by Steve Parkes, the author of this guide. It can be read here on-line or a copy downloaded in .pdf format using the link at the bottom of this page.

The SpaceWire User’s Guide aims to introduce the reader to SpaceWire.

It begins in chapter 2 with an overview of SpaceWire, providing a brief history of SpaceWire, looking at an example SpaceWire application, examining how SpaceWire works, considering different SpaceWire architectures, and finally looking at some real mission architectures to see how SpaceWire is being used in practice.

Section 3 goes into much more detail about SpaceWire links. It describes each level of the SpaceWire standard in detail, explaining the way each level operates and the reasons SpaceWire is designed the way it is.

Section 4 describes SpaceWire routers and networks. SpaceWire nodes and routers are introduced and the mechanism inside a router explained along with the way in which a router is configured. An example SpaceWire router chip, the Atmel AT7910E SpW-10X router, is then described in some detail.

Section 5 explains how SpaceWire time-codes work and introduces some of the applications they have been used for.

Click here to download the SpaceWire User’s Guide.