Advanced space processor gives spaceborne imaging and AI a major boost

Teledyne e2v has delivered qualified flight models (FMs) of its advanced, space-qualified, quad-core Cortex-A72 edge processing platform – the LS1046-space. Aimed at compute-intensive space applications, including high-throughput satellites, data compression, and AI and imaging, this processor outperforms existing alternatives by 30x. This timely addition to its portfolio is ready to support many new space applications.

The processor blends minimal power consumption and extreme data processing, extending edge compute performance to the smallest form factors. It is particularly ideal for deployment in power-constrained Cubesat and Microsatellite platforms needing an advanced data path design and access to multiple integrated peripherals.

Thomas Guillemain, marketing, and business development manager for digital products, stated: "By using the LS1046-Space, our customers gain immediate access to the highest performance space-grade, edge computing platform available. With its advanced processing capabilities, powerful feature set, and ease of use and implementation in Space systems – it is an important enabler for artificial intelligence and machine learning. It especially suits future low earth orbit operations."

Clocked at up to 1.8GHz, the device 64-bit LS1046-Space processor delivers 30k DMIPs. Moreover, a fast, 2.1GT/s, 64-bit DDR4 SDRAM memory controller with embedded 8-bit ECC is provided, plus a 2MB L2 cache shared across the four ARM cores. L1 and L2 caches also benefit from ECC-protection, delivering a high degree of in-flight immunity to data corruption.

This high-reliability processor is enhanced still further with various embedded interfaces - including 10Gbit Ethernet, three PCIe v.3.0 lanes, SPI, I2C, and multiple UARTs. The device is provided in a compact 23mm x 23mm, 780-ball BGA package.

Qualified for operation in the most demanding space environments, the device offers a wide operating temperature range from -55C to 125C. It also achieves 100krad total ionising dose tolerance. Furthermore, immunity to SEL and upsets (SEU) is being validated in qualification. The product is qualified up to NASA level 1.

electronica 2022, Booth C4.215, 15-18 November 2022.

Space Tech Expo Europe, Booth M52, 15-17 November 2022.