Linux in Space

[jwt@example.com (Jim Tittsler)]

I came across this in SpaceNews, a weekly electronic newsletter
edited by John Magliacane.  The newsletter is targeted at amateur
radio satellite enthusiasts.

For more info on the newsletter <URL:http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/>

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* LINUX SOFTWARE *
==================
Discussions heard between Space Shuttle "Columbia" and mission control
on NASA TV last week indicate that computers running under the Linux
operating system are being used on STS-75.  Linux is powerful 32-bit
multiuser, multitasking operating system similar to Unix in many ways
except cost and licensing.

Linux can run on most 386, 486, and Pentium-based personal computers in
addition to Amiga and Atari computers.  It is currently being ported to
the ARM, MIPS, PowerPC, and PowerMac computers, and a 64-bit version is
available for the DEC Alpha.

Linux was designed a few short years ago by Linus Torvalds, a graduate
student at the University of Helsinki in Finland who took his first
courses in `C' and Unix in the Fall of 1990.  By October 1991, Linux
version 0.02 was announced and this attracted the attention of thousands
of programmers and software developers on the Internet.  International
collaboration in the development of Linux has resulted in a very powerful
operating system whose capabilities are growing faster than those of
commercial operating systems.

Part of the enthusiasm behind Linux development is rooted in the fact that
like Unix, the Linux operating system is hardware independent.  As a result,
it is possible to author software for Linux that will operate equally well
under many hardware platforms, whether they be a powerful mainframe or a
small laptop.  Its growth and development are reminiscent of the
telecommunication innovations brought to the world through the efforts
of Amateur Radio Operators over the years.  Linux also supports a wide
variety of networking protocols, including AX.25 (Amateur Packet Radio)
at the kernel level, a feature not many other operating systems can claim.

There already exists quite an extensive list of Amateur Radio and Amateur
Satellite related software applications for the Linux operating system.
That list will grow later this week with the release of the following
programs written by KD2BD:

        predict: A multiuser satellite orbital prediction program that
                 also provides optical visibility information

        dove   : A simple DOVE-OSCAR-17 telemetry decoding program

        uo11   : A simple UoSAT-OSCAR-11 ASCII telemetry decoding program

        kepgen : A program that allows the creation of Keplerian data
                 files in the NASA 2-line format from data entered
                 through the keyboard

These programs are free for the asking and must be used for non-commercial
purposes only.  They were written in `C' and compiled using the highest
level of optimization possible from GCC compiler version 2.5.8.  The
resulting executable files are in an a.out binary format.  These programs
will be made available via anonymous FTP at pilot.njin.net in the
/pub/SpaceNews/linux subdirectory or uploaded to the AMSAT-OSCAR-16
or LUSAT-OSCAR-19 satellites by request.  All programs include on-line
manual pages with the exception of "predict" which contains a built-in
help option.

Further information on the Linux operating system may be obtained through
the World Wide Web at:  http://sunsite.unc.edu/mdw/linux.html and many
other sites around the world.  A link to a HAM-HOWTO page describing other
free Amateur Radio software available for Linux may also be accessed
through this site.

Incidentially, the Linux operating system has been used exclusively for
the creation and circulation of SpaceNews since the release of "Windows 95"
in August of 1995.  Perhaps SpaceNews can also be referred to as the first
Amateur newsletter edited and circulated entirely under Linux.