[SLS-CC] Fw: CCSDS 732 section 4.1.2.6 Header Error Control

Fri Sep 17 09:41:36 UTC 2021

Dear all,
 JPL and GSFC brought to my attention that CCSDS 732, Section 4.1.2.6, 
specifies a shortened RS code that was originally meant for uncoded or 
convolutional only coded telemetry links.

However (see Victor's email below) it was found that this specification 
was often misused, just becoming an additional overhead for the link. 
Additionally, the specification itself appears incomplete, leaving 
ambiguities to its actual implementation.
For this reason, JPL and GSFC are proposing to eliminate it.

Could you please pool your Agencies, and let me know your position no 
later than 1st October 2021? 
So that C&S WG can then formalise its position to SLP before next Fall 
Meeting.

Kind Regards

ESA - European Space Agency
Ph.D. Andrea Modenini
TT&C Communications Systems Engineer 
TT&C and PDT Systems & Techniques Section (TEC-EST)
RF Systems Division
ESTEC
Keplerlaan 1, PO Box 299
NL-2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands
andrea.modenini at esa.int | www.esa.int
T +31 71 56 53439, M +31 6 484 56 527
----- Forwarded by Andrea Modenini/estec/ESA on 17-09-21 10:35 -----

From:   "Sank, Victor J. (GSFC-567.0)[SCIENCE SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS 
INC]" <victor.j.sank at nasa.gov>
To:     "Andrea.Modenini at esa.int" <Andrea.Modenini at esa.int>
Cc:     "Rodriguez, Shannon (GSFC-5670)" <shannon.rodriguez-1 at nasa.gov>, 
"Kazz, Greg J (JPL-312B)[JPL Employee]" <greg.j.kazz at jpl.nasa.gov>, "Fong, 
Wai H. (GSFC-5670)" <wai.h.fong at nasa.gov>, "Andrews, Kenneth S 
(JPL-332B)[JPL Employee]" <kenneth.s.andrews at jpl.nasa.gov>, "Hamkins, Jon 
(JPL-3300)[JPL Employee]" <jon.hamkins at jpl.nasa.gov>
Date:   15-09-21 21:09
Subject:        CCSDS 732 section 4.1.2.6 Header Error Control

Andrea,
              There is a shortened 15,11  RS code (q = 1 so shortened to 
14,10) in the CCSDS 732.0-B-3 book section 4.1.2.6 that is specified for 
use in the transfer frame header that we believe is a hang over from the 
days before the popular use of RS or other more powerful block codes that 
get applied to the entire transfer frame.  It is intended for the case of 
convolution only code or the case of no error correction code.  We have 
had a few missions miss use this code and were wondering if CCSDS should 
remove it from the 732 book.  You can see from the email from Greg below 
that JPL has no missions that use this code and over the last 
approximately 20 years, GSFC is only aware of it being used where it was 
not intended.  It is also odd that this code is only specified in the 732 
book and not the 131 books. 
              Being a shortened code, I find the specification incomplete. 
 As a shortened code it is necessary to specify where the virtual fill 
should go, at the beginning or at the end (or else ware).  In addition, it 
is not specified what value the virtual fill nibble (4 bits) should be. 
Most common would be all zeros, but it needs to be specified.  Without 
these additional details, a ground station receiver vendor would have to 
make these parameters user selectable.  The protection leaves out the VCID 
count, it only covers the MCID, VCID and Signaling Field.  Seems to me an 
error in the VCID counter can make the frame useless.   Using this header 
code makes the primary header 8 bytes long which I do not think is 
specified any where else. 
              Your thoughts please and if you agree, can you ask each C&S 
WG member to poll their respective agency so at the next meeting we can 
discuss the possibility of eliminating it from the 732.0 blue book? 
Thanks,
Victor

From: Kazz, Greg J (US 312B) <greg.j.kazz at jpl.nasa.gov> 
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2021 11:41 AM
To: Sank, Victor J. (GSFC-567.0)[SCIENCE SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS INC] <
victor.j.sank at nasa.gov>
Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Re: Minor wording in CCSDS 732 section 4.1.2.6 
Header Error Control

Victor,

At least at JPL, no mission uses the AOS transfer frame header error 
control. It would be worthwhile if you ask Andrea that each C&S WG member 
poll their respective agency to see if at the next meeting we could see if 
it could be eliminated from the 732.0 blue book. 

Greg

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