Reconfigurable-system-on-chip implementation of data processing units for space applications

Abstract

Application-specific data processing units (DPUs) are commonly adopted for operational control and data processing in space missions. To overcome the limitations of traditional radiation-hardened or fully commercial design approaches, a reconfigurable-system-on-chip (RSoC) solution based on state-of-the-art FPGA is introduced. The flexibility and reliability of this approach are outlined, and the requirements for an enhanced RSoC design with inflight reconfigurability for space applications are presented. This design has been demonstrated as an on-board computer prototype, providing an in-flight reconfigurable DPU design approach using integrated hardwired processors.

Keywords

RSoC / in-flight reconfigurability / spaceborne data processing unit

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