Actel has announced that its high-reliability, FPGAs have been chosen by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for its Bi-Spectral Infrared Detection (BIRD) satellite, the world's first satellite that uses infrared sensor technology to detect and investigate high-temperature events on Earth, such as forest fires, volcanic activities, burning oil wells and coal seams. More than 20 Actel high-reliability FPGAs are used in many mission-critical functions on the satellite, including payload data handling, memory management, interfacing and control and co-processing as well as sensor control in the infrared camera.
"The BIRD satellite design specifications required devices that offered high performance, radiation tolerance and low power consumption. Actel's FPGAs easily met these needs and enabled us to also satisfy our stringent requirements for single-event upset performance and immunity to destructive heavy ion-induced, single-event latchup effects," said Bernd Kirchner, spokesman of the BIRD mission. "Further, with Actel's devices, we were able to integrate many mission-critical functions into fewer solutions, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of components, total weight and board space required for the satellite design."
"Actel continues to be a key player in the technology behind major breakthroughs occurring in space and we plan to continue to push forward with our involvement in and development of high-reliability programmable logic technology for radiation-intensive environments," said Jon Ewald, director of product marketing at Actel.
The DLR BIRD satellite is a technology demonstrator for new infrared push-broom sensors that were especially developed for the recognition and quantitative estimation of thermal processes on the Earth's surface. BIRD was launched in October 2001 with the Indian rocket PSLV-C3 in a circle-shaped orbit with a diameter of 572 km in height. At present, the satellite is in its commissioning phase. First, all the satellite's components are put to work, their operational parameters are collected, and the redundancy circuits are tested. Then, the payload complex of the satellite is tested and the system for processing the ground data is put to work.
For more information: Kobus van Rooyen, ASIC Design Services, 011 315 8316, [email protected]
Microchip SoC FPGA ASIC Design Services
DSP, Micros & Memory
Microchip Technology introduced the RT PolarFire SoC FPGA, the first real-time Linux capable, RISC-V-based microprocessor subsystem on a proven RT PolarFire FPGA platform.
Read more...Development kit for MIL-STD-1553 dual transceiver ASIC Design Services
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Holt Integrated Circuits has announced the introduction of ADK-1592, a development kit designed to help customers interface Holt’s recently announced HI-1592 radiation hardened transceiver.
Read more...Development kit for programmable 16-channel low-side driver ASIC Design Services
DSP, Micros & Memory
Holt Integrated Circuits has announced the introduction of ADK-84216, a development kit designed to demonstrate the features of Holt’s recently announced programmable 16-channel low-side driver, HI-84216.
Read more...Microchip’s RTG4 FPGAs achieve highest space qualification ASIC Design Services
DSP, Micros & Memory
QML Class V is the highest level of qualification for space components, and a necessary step to satisfy mission-assurance requirements on the most critical space missions such as human-rated, deep space, and national security programmes.
Read more...Seven habits of highly efficient PCB designers ASIC Design Services
Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Design habits that expedite design completion, improve design quality, and enhance productivity are instrumental to highly efficient PCB design. This article lists what designers can do to succeed.
Read more...Perfecting your PCB with DFM analysis ASIC Design Services
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
From layout to manufacture and testing, a single fabrication holdup can cost a business untold amounts in lost productivity.
Read more...New DFM Analysis solution for PCB layout designers ASIC Design Services
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
This user-friendly DFM solution allows you to perform fabrication analysis effortlessly through the cloud-based Valor DFM engine.
Read more...Accurate signal integrity analysis for PCB designers ASIC Design Services
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Fast, easy, and accurate signal integrity analysis enables designers to efficiently manage rule exploration, definition, and validation, ensuring engineering intent is fully achieved.
Read more...Best practices in PCB design ASIC Design Services
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Best practices in PCB design – The 5 pillars of digital transformation for PCB design.
Read more...Online DFM analysis for better products, faster ASIC Design Services
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
This user-friendly DFM solution allows you to perform fabrication and assembly analysis effortlessly through the cloud-based Valor DFM engine.
printer friendly version