Saturn Launch Vehicle Digital Computer

LVDC from Instrument Unit technical manual

The Saturn Launch Vehicle Digital Computer (LVDC) was a computer that provided the autopilot for the Saturn V rocket from launch to Earth orbit insertion. It was one of the major components of the Instrument Unit, fitted to the S-IVB stage of the Saturn V and Saturn IB rockets. The LVDC also supported pre- and post-launch checkout of the Saturn hardware.

Hardware

The LVDC was capable of executing 12190 instructions per second. For comparison, a 2012-era microprocessor can execute 4 instructions per cycle at 3 GHz, achieving 12 billion instructions per second, one million times faster.

Its master clock ran at 2.048 MHz, but operations were performed bit-serially, with 4 cycles required to process each bit, 14 bits per phase, and 3 phases per instruction, for a basic time of 168 cycles = 82 μs for a simple add. (A few instructions, such as multiply or divide, took a few times this value.)

Memory was in the form of 13-bit "syllables", each with a 14th parity bit. Instructions were one syllable in size, while data words were two syllables (26 bits). Main memory was random access magnetic core, in the form of 4,096-word memory modules. Up to 8 modules provided a maximum of 32,768 words of memory. Ultrasonic delay lines provided temporary storage.

For reliability, the LVDC used triple-redundant logic and a voting system. The computer included three identical logic systems. Each logic system was split into a seven-stage pipeline. At each stage in the pipeline, a voting system would take a majority vote on the results, with the most popular result being passed on to the next stage in all pipelines. This meant that, for each of the seven stages, one module in any one of the three pipelines could fail, and the LVDC would still produce the correct results. The result was an estimated reliability of 99.6% over 250 hours of operation, which was far more than the few hours required for an Apollo mission.

With four memory modules, giving a total capacity of 16,384 words, the computer weighed 72.5 lb (32.9 kg), was 29.5×12.5×10.5 inches in size (74×32×27 cm) and consumed 137 watts.

Software

LVDC instruction words were split into a 4-bit opcode field (least-significant bits) and a 9-bit operand address field (most-significant bits). This left it with sixteen possible opcode values when there were eighteen different instructions: consequently, three of the instructions used the same opcode value, and used two bits of the address value to determine which instruction was executed.

Memory was broken into 256-word "sectors". 8 bits of the address specified a word within a sector, and the 9th bit selected between the software-selectable "current sector" or a global sector called "residual memory".

The eighteen possible LVDC instructions were:

Instruction Opcode Function
HOP 0000 Transfer execution to a different part of the program. Unlike a modern 'jump' instruction the operand address did not actually specify the address to jump to, but pointed to a 26-bit 'HOP constant' which specified the address.
MPY 0001 Multiply the contents of the memory location specified in the operand address by the contents of the accumulator register. This instruction took four instruction cycles to complete, but didn't stall program execution, so other instructions could execute before it finished. The result was left in a known register,
SUB 0010 Subtract the contents of the memory location specified in the operand address from the accumulator register.
DIV 0011 Divide the contents of the memory location specified in the operand address into the accumulator. This instruction took eight instruction cycles to complete, but didn't stall program execution.
TNZ 0100 Transfers instruction execution to the operand address specified if the accumulator contents are not zero.
MPH 0101 Multiply the contents of the memory location specified in the operand address by the contents of the accumulator register. Unlike MPY, this instruction does halt execution until the multiplication is complete.
AND 0110 Logically AND the contents of the accumulator with the contents of the memory location specified in the operand address.
ADD 0111 Add the contents of the memory location specified in the operand address to the accumulator register.
TRA 1000 Transfer execution to the memory location specified in the operand address. The address is within the current instruction sector; the 9th (residual) bit of the operand selects the syllable.
XOR 1001 Logically XOR the contents of the accumulator with the contents of the memory location specified in the operand address.
PIO 1010 Process input or output: communicate with external hardware.
STO 1011 Store the contents of the accumulator register in the memory location specified in the operand address.
TMI 1100 Transfer execution to the operand address specified if the accumulator contents are negative.
RSU 1101 Contents of the accumulator are subtracted from the contents of the memory location specified in the operand address, and the result left in the accumulator.
SHF 01 1110 Contents of accumulator are shifted by up to two bits, based on a value in the operand address. This instruction can also clear the accumulator if the operand address bits are zero.
CDS x0 1110 Change data sector.
EXM 11 1110 Transfer execution to one of eight addresses dependent on the operand address, which also specifies modifications to the operand address of the next instruction before it is executed.
CLA 1111 (Clear accumulator and) load memory.

Unlike the Apollo Guidance Computer software, the software which ran on the LVDC seems to have vanished. While the hardware would be fairly simple to emulate, the only remaining copies of the software are probably in the core memory of the Instrument Unit LVDCs of the remaining Saturn V rockets on display at NASA sites.

Interrupts

The LVDC could also respond to a number of interrupts triggered by external events.

For a Saturn IB these interrupts were:

LVDC Data Word Bit Function
1 Internal to LVDC
2 Spare
3 Simultaneous Memory Error
4 Command Decoder Interrupt
5 Guidance Reference Release
6 Manual Initiation of S-IVB Engine Cutoff
7 S-IB Outboard Engines Cutoff
8 S-IVB Engine Out
9 RCA-110A Interrupt
10 S-IB Low Fuel Level Sensors Dry
11 RCA-110A Interrupt

For a Saturn V these interrupts were:

LVDC Data Word Bit Function
1 Minor Loop Interrupt
2 Switch Selector Interrupt
3 Computer Interface Unit Interrupt
4 Temporary Loss Of Control
5 Command Receiver Interrupt
6 Guidance Reference Release
7 S-II Propellant Depletion/Engine Cutoff
8 S-IC Propellant Depletion/Engine Cutoff
9 S-IVB Engine Out
10 Program Recycle (RCA-110A Interrupt)
11 S-IC Inboard Engine Out
12 Command LVDA/RCA-110A Interrupt

Construction

The LVDC was approximately 30 inches wide, 12.5 inches high, and 10.5 inches deep and weighed 80 pounds.[1] The chassis was made of magnesium-lithium alloy LA 141, chosen for its high stiffness, low weight, and good vibration damping characteristics.[2] The chassis was divided into a 3 x 5 matrix of cells separated by walls through which coolant was circulated to remove the 138 Watts[3] of power dissipated by the computer. Slots in the cell walls held “pages” of electronics. The decision to cool the LVDC by circulating coolant through the walls of the computer was unique at the time and allowed the LVDC and LVDA (coolant cooled in part) to be placed in one cold plate location due to the three dimensional packaging. The cold plates used to cool most equipment in the Instrument Unit were inefficient from a space view although versatile for the variety of equipment used. The alloy LA 141 had been used by IBM on the Gemini keyboard, read out units, and computer in small quantities and the larger frame of the LVDC was produced from the largest billets of LA 141 cast at the time and subsequently CNC machined into the frame.

A page consisted of two 2.5 x 3-inch boards back to back and a magnesium-lithium frame to conduct heat to the chassis. The 12-layer boards contained signal, power, and ground layers and connections between layers were made by plated-through holes.

Up to 35 alumina squares 0.3 x 0.3 x 0.070 inch [4] could be reflow soldered to a board. These alumina squares had conductors silk screened to the top side and resistors silk-screened to the bottom side. Semiconductor chips 0.025 x 0.025 inch, each containing either one transistor or two diodes, were reflow soldered to the top side. The complete chip was called a unit logic device.[5] Copper balls were used for contacts between the chips and the conductive patterns.[6]

The hierarchy of the electronic structure is shown in the following table.

LVDC electronic packaging [7]
LEVELCOMPONENTMATERIALIBM TERM
1 Transistor, diode 0.025 x 0.025 inch silicon -
2 Up to 14 transistors, diodes and resistors 0.3 x 0.3 x 0.07 inch alumina ULD (Unit Logic Device)
3 Up to 35 ULDs 2.5 x 3 inch printed circuit board MIB (Multilayer Interconnection Board)
4 Two MIBs Magnesium-lithium frame Page

Gallery

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Apollo Study Report, Volume 2, pages 3-36 to 3-37. The log book for the LVDC at National Air and Space Museum says the dimensions were 31x13.1x13 inches and the weight was 90 pounds.
  2. ↑ M.M. Dickinson, J.B. Jackson, G.C. Randa. IBM Space Guidance Center, Owego, NY. "Saturn V Launch Vehicle Digital Computer and Data Adapter." Proceedings of the Fall Joint Computer Conference, 1964, page 511.
  3. ↑ Apollo Study Report, Volume 2, page 3-4.
  4. ↑ Apollo Study Report, Volume 2, page 2-37
  5. ↑ Walter Haeussermann. "Description and Performance of the Saturn Launch Vehicle's Navigation, Guidance, and Control System." NASA TN D-5869. Page 23
  6. ↑ M.M. Dickinson, J.B. Jackson, G.C. Randa. IBM Space Guidance Center, Owego, NY. "Saturn V Launch Vehicle Digital Computer and Data Adapter." Proceedings of the Fall Joint Computer Conference, 1964, page 509.
  7. ↑ M.M. Dickinson, J.B. Jackson, G.C. Randa. IBM Space Guidance Center, Owego, NY. "Saturn V Launch Vehicle Digital Computer and Data Adapter." Proceedings of the Fall Joint Computer Conference, 1964, pages 501-516.

External links

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