RACS2 (ROS2 and cFS System) Bridge

Overview

This repository is a collection of software and examples that bridge message communication between Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2) nodes and core flight executives (cFE). cFE is a core component of NASA-supplied spacecraft software, Core Flight System (CFS).

This project provides the following 2 components,

• ROS2/cFE message bridge software
• ROS2/cFE examples

If you would like to report a bug or have a request for an update, please contact us. We will respond on demand.

License

This project is under the Apache 2.0 license. See LICENSE text file.

Release Notes

• RACS2 (ROS2/cFE) project suite 1.0.0 is released.

Directory List

• ROS2 :
  • RACS2 Bridge software for ROS2.
• cFS :
  • RACS2 Bridge software for cFS.
• Document :
  • Documents of RACS2.
• Example :
  • Example software of RACS2.
• Misc :
  • Other Information of RACS2.

Dependency

• Base OS :
  • Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
• ROS2 :
  • “ros-humble” package.
• cFS :
  • cFE 6.7.0a
  • OSAL v5.0.0 (included in cFE 6.7.0a)

Setup

Premise

• Assuming to work in the “~/racs2_ws” directory.

      mkdir ~/racs2_ws
      mkdir ~/racs2_ws/ros2_ws
      

• ROS2 and cFS shall be installed on the OS.
  • See below.

    • ROS2 Installation

    • cFS Installation

      cd ~/racs2_ws  
      git clone https://github.com/nasa/cFS.git
      cd cFS
      git checkout v6.7.0a
      git submodule init
      git submodule update
      

Procedure for initial build

• Preparing for WebSocket.
  • C/C++ :

    sudo apt install -y libwebsockets-dev
    

• Python :

    pip install websockets==12.0
    

• Preparing for Protocol Buffers.
  • C/C++ :

    sudo apt install -y libwebsockets-dev protobuf-c-compiler libprotobuf-c-dev
    

• Python :

    pip install protobuf==3.20.0 
    

• git clone the RACS2 Bridge.

  cd ~/racs2_ws
  git clone https://github.com/jaxa/racs2_bridge.git -b v1.1
  

• Go to the top of the cFS project directory and execute the following build command

    cd ~/racs2_ws/cFS
    cp cfe/cmake/Makefile.sample Makefile
    cp -r cfe/cmake/sample_defs sample_defs
    

• Bridge application placement in the cFS execution environment.

    cd ~/racs2_ws/
    cp -pr racs2_bridge/cFS/Bridge/Client_C/apps/racs2_bridge_client cFS/apps/
    cp -pr racs2_bridge/cFS/Bridge/Client_C/sample_defs/* cFS/sample_defs/
    

• Edit L.205 of “cFS/sample_defs/default_osconfig.h” as follows,

    #define OSAL_DEBUG_PERMISSIVE_MODE
    

• Go to the top of the cFS project directory and execute the following build command

    cd ~/racs2_ws/cFS
    make prep
    make
    make install
    

• Preparation of execution environment on the ROS2 side.
  • Bridge node placement in the ROS2 execution environment.

    cd ~/racs2_ws/
    cp -pr racs2_bridge/ROS2/Bridge/Server_Python/bridge_py_s ros2_ws/src/
    

• Go to the top of the ROS2 project directory and execute the following build command

    cd ros2_ws/
    colcon build --symlink-install
    

Procedure for use

It must be built separately for both cFS and ROS 2. For detailed procedure, please see the example.

Params for ROS2

• Specify startup parameters in YAML format. The name of the file describing the parameters is params.yaml.
• Parameters Details:
  • wss_uri -> HostName or IP Address. The type is String.
  • wss_port -> Port Number. The type is Integer.

Params for cFS

• Specify startup parameters in txt format. The name of the file describing the parameters is racs2_bridge_config.txt.
• Parameters Details:
  • wss_uri -> HostName or IP Address.
  • wss_port -> Port Number.

How to exchange messages

• See Document/HowToExchangeMessages.md.

Reference

• Hiroki Kato (JAXA) and Tatsuhiko Saito (Systems Engineering Consultants (SEC)). “RACS2: the ROS2 and cFS System, launched” Flight Software Workshop 2023 in March 2023