SpaceWire Link Analyser Mk3

The Link Analyser Mk3 is designed to unobtrusively monitor the traffic on a SpaceWire link. It can capture and display bi-directional traffic travelling over a link; it can display live link statistics; and it can output decoded SpaceWire link characters and events to an external logic analyser.

The SpaceWire traffic visibility this provides is essential when developing and testing SpaceWire equipment. It makes it possible to validate a SpaceWire link is operating correctly and greatly aids debugging when problems are detected.

The Link Analyser Mk3 is typically connected between two SpaceWire devices, where it transparently monitors link traffic. When a pre-defined capture trigger is detected, SpaceWire characters and errors, along with a trace of data and strobe signals, are captured to hardware memory. Once capture is complete, the SpaceWire traffic is uploaded to a host PC where it is interpreted and shown in multiple views. Each view displays traffic in different levels of detail, allowing it to be inspected at network, packet, link and signal levels.

The Link Analyser Mk3 is controlled by a host PC, connected by a high-speed USB 3.0 interface, and is powered by a 5V power brick. It has two SpaceWire ports, four external SMB triggers and two MICTOR logic analyser connectors.

NOTE: The Link Analyser Mk3 supersedes the original Link Analyser and the Mk2. Both the hardware and software have been significantly improved. These improvements are described in SpaceWire Link Analyser Mk3 vs Mk2.

Product Features

  • Unobtrusively capture and display SpaceWire link traffic travelling between two devices

    • Record up to 67 million events
    • Capture SpaceWire traffic to memory when a sequence of SpaceWire characters, data, time-code value or errors are detected
    • View captured SpaceWire traffic in bit-stream, character, packet and network level software views
    • RMAP protocol analysis displays the fields of packets conforming to the RMAP standard
    • Search captured traffic for specific SpaceWire characters or for packets containing a particular data sequence
    • Enable/disable capture of specific SpaceWire character types for efficient memory usage
    • Export captured traffic to CSV file for custom software to interpret

  • View live link statistics in the status counter software view

  • Inject errors into the SpaceWire bit-stream

  • Interface with external equipment using external SMB triggers

  • View decoded SpaceWire link characters and events on an external logic analyser connected by a 40 pin MICTOR connector

  • 19” rack mountable (see 19″ Rack Mounting Kit)

  • Contains 2 x SpaceWire ports, 1 x USB 3.0 port, 2 x 40 pin MICTOR logic analyser connectors (1 operational) and 4 SMB connectors (1 trigger in, 1 trigger out and 2 disabled)

  • Software and accessories included:

    • Windows drivers (Windows 10, 8 and 7)
    • Linux drivers (5.x, 4.x and 3.x kernels)
    • Link Analyser Mk3 software application
    • C API with example code
    • User manuals
    • USB cable
    • 1 year’s technical support and maintenance

Technical Specs

  • Part Number

    162

  • Size

    • 110 x 30 x 112 mm (excluding feet)

  • Power

    • +5V DC, power brick supplied

  • SpaceWire Ports

    • Compliant to ECSS-E50-12A, ECSS-E-ST-50-12C and ECSS-E-ST-50-12C Rev.1

    • Number of SpaceWire Ports: 2

    • Maximum Speed: 400 Mbit/s

    • Connectors: 9-pin micro-miniature D-type

  • USB Port

    • USB 3.0

    • Backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1

  • EMC

    • CE/FCC certified