Rad-Hard Reconfigurable Field Programmable Gate Array (RHrFPGA), Code 564

Description

Reconfigurable FPGA’s dramatically decrease development time by reducing the cost of mistakes and by dramatically shortening the update cycle.

Approach

• RFPHA’s must be SEU hard
  • A single bit flip will change the logic in the part until it is reloaded
  • No good scheme has been discovered to allow use of commercial SEU soft devices in critical space applications, triple voting schemes still require constant verification of internal memory
• Systems can be reprogrammed after fabrication for a particular application
  • In flight reconfiguration of instruments is possible (desired for NGST camera electronics)
  • Simulation time reduced because parts can be re-used and reload time is minutes not days
• Designers would always use a re-configurable part instead of a single use part of similar functionality.
  • SWIFT used RFPGA’s for initial rapid prototyping and must redesign for parts which are OK for flight.
• Properties of the first RHrFPGA part
  • 20,000 gate, RAM based, 100 Mhz, re-configurable FPGA
  • Flight version from Honeywell, commercial equivalent from Atmel
  • Both versions use off-the-shelf Atmel development tools
  • Flight unit is TID, SEU and SEL hard
• Key enabling technology for Re-configurable Computing (RC) and re-configurable hardware systems
• Funding profile is limiting development schedule additional partners or funding sources are needed.

Features

• Integrated X-S transponder: S-band receive at 4 kbps, X-band transmit at 20 Mbps.
• Integrated PHEMPT power amplifier technology.
• Compatible with both TDRSS users and direct to Earth users.

Potential Enterprise Benefit

• Facilitates channelized X-band telemetry downlink with commercial potential
• Advanced, high efficiency RF amplifier technology reduces power consumption
• Takes advantage of previous NASA investments (4th generation xpdr, SMEX command receiver) to maximize cost savings

Product

• Engineering demonstration model - March 2000.
• Protoflight unit (proposed for NPP bridge mission) available fall 2001