Keynote address I: SpaceCube: A family of reconfigurable hybrid on-board science data processors

2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference

Espinosa

Ripley

et al. 2014

This paper highlights the methodology and effectiveness of adapting the reconfigurable SpaceCube system to solve complex application requirements for a variety of space flight missions. SpaceCube is a reconfigurable, modular, compact, multi-processing platform for space flight applications demanding extreme processing power. The SpaceCube system is suitable for most mission applications, particularly those that are computationally and data intensive such as instrument science data processing. We will show how the SpaceCube hybrid processing architecture is used to meet data processing performance requirements that traditional flight processors cannot meet. This paper discusses the flexible computational architecture of the SpaceCube system and its inherent advantages over other avionics systems. The SpaceCube v1.0 processing system features two commercial Xilinx Virtex-4 FX60 Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), each with two embedded PowerPC405 processors. The FPGAs are mounted in an innovative back-to-back method, which reduces the size of the circuit board design while maintaining the added benefit of two FPGAs. All SpaceCube v1.0 cards are 4" x 4", yielding a small, yet powerful hybrid computing system. The architecture exploits the Xilinx FPGAs, PowerPCs, and necessary support peripherals to maximize system flexibility. Adding to the flexibility, the entire system is modular. Each card conforms to a custom mechanical standard that allows stacking multiple cards in the same box. This paper will detail the use of SpaceCube in multiple space flight applications including the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 (HST-SM4), an International Space Station (ISS) radiation test bed experiment, and the main avionics subsystem for two separate ISS attached payloads. Each mission has had varying degrees of data processing complexities, performance requirements, and external interfaces. We will show the methodology used to minimize the changes required to the physical hardware, FPGA designs, embedded software interfaces, and testing. This paper will summarize significant results as they apply to each mission application. In the HST-SM4 application we utilized the FPGA resources to accelerate portions of the image processing algorithms more than 25 times faster than a standard space processor in order to meet computational speed requirements. For the ISS radiation on-orbit demonstration, the main goal is to show that we can rely on the commercial FPGAs and processors in a space environment. We describe our FPGA and processor radiation mitigation strategies that have resulted in our eight PowerPCs being available and error free for more than 99.99% of the time over the period of four years. This positive data and proven reliability of the SpaceCube on ISS resulted in the Department of Defense (DoD) selecting SpaceCube, which is replacing an older and u.s. Government work not protected by U.S. copyright slower computer currently used on ISS, as the main avionics for two upcoming ISS experiment campaigns. This paper...

Section: Processor Card Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: A Relative Nav Igation Sensorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Adapting the reconfigurable spacecube processing system for multiple mission applications

2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference

Espinosa

Ripley

et al. 2014

“…SpaceCube is a family of Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based on-board science data processing systems developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) [2]. The goal of the SpaceCube program is to provide 10x to 100x improvements in on-board computing power while lowering relative power consumption and cost.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adapting the SpaceCube v2.0 data processing system for mission-unique application requirements

2015 NASA/ESA Conference on Adaptive Hardware and Systems (AHS)

Gill

Hassouneh

et al. 2015

The SpaceCube TM v2.0 system is a superior high performance, reconfigurable, hybrid data processing system that can be used in a multitude of applications including those that require a radiation hardened and reliable solution. This paper provides an overview of the design architecture, flexibility, and the advantages of the modular SpaceCube v2.0 high performance data processing system for space applications.

SpaceCube v2.0 space flight hybrid reconfigurable data processing system

2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference

Geist

Albaijes

et al. 2014

This paper details the design architecture, design methodology, and the advantages of the SpaceCube v2.0 high performance data processing system for space applications.The purpose in building the SpaceCube v2.0 system is to create a superior high performance, reconfigurable, hybrid data processing system that can be used in a multitude of applications including those that require a radiation hardened and reliable solution. The SpaceCube v2.0 system leverages seven years of board design, avionics systems design, and space flight application experiences.This paper shows how SpaceCube v2.0 solves the increasing computing demands of space data processing applications that cannot be attained with a standalone processor approach.The main objective during the design stage is to find a good system balance between power, size, reliability, cost, and data processing capability. These design variables directly impact each other, and it is important to understand how to achieve a suitable balance. This paper will detail how these critical design factors were managed including the construction of anEngineering Model for an experiment on the International Space Station to test out design concepts. We will describe the designs for the processor card, power card, backplane, and a mission unique interface card. The mechanical design for the box will also be detailed since it is critical in meeting the stringent thermal and structural requirements imposed by the processing system. In addition, the mechanical design uses advanced thermal conduction techniques to solve the internal thermal challenges.The SpaceCube v2.0 processing system is based on an extended version of the 3U cPCI standard form factor where each card is 190mm x IOOmm in size. The typical power draw of the processor card is 8 to lOW and scales with application complexity. The SpaceCube v2.0 data processing card features two Xilinx Virtex-5 QV Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), eight memory modules, a monitor FPGA with analog monitoring, Ethernet, configurable interconnect to the Xilinx FPGAs including gigabit transceivers, and the necessary voltage regulation. The processor board uses a back-to-back design methodology for common parts that maximizes the board real estate available. This paper will show how to meet the IPC 6012B Class 3/A standard with a 22-layer board that has two column grid array devices with 1.0mm pitch. All layout trades such as stack-up options, via selection, and FPGA signal breakout will be discussed with feature size results. The overall board design process will be discussed including parts selection, circuit design, proper signal termination, layout placement and route planning, signal integrity design and verification, and power integrity results. The radiation mitigation techniques will also be detailed including configuration scrubbing options, Xilinx circuit mitigation and FPGA functional monitoring, and memory protection. U.S. Government work not protected by U.S. copyrightFinally, this paper will describe how this system is bein...