A smart telemetry compression system for a space instrument: MARS-96 ELISMA instrument complex

Abstract A smart telemetry compression system has been developed for the ELISMA complex of instruments on MARS-96. Most of the data generated by the individual instruments of the complex require compression before transmission back to Earth since the complex is capable of producing data at many times the allocated ELISMA telemetry data rate. A compression algorithm was produced that could achieve a selectable compression ratio of 5:1, 6:1, or 7:1. An equivalent fuzzy logic controller sets the compression ratio for each data record of each individual instrument depending on: (i) the best ratio as determined by the variability of the data in that record; (ii) the instantaneous level of the data held in the telemetry buffer; and (iii) on the current usage of that instrument's data allocation for the present orbit around Mars.