Microsemi Corporation offers a suite of RTG4 FPGA development tools for high-bandwidth space applications

     Microsemi Corporation, a leading provider of differentiated semiconductor technology solutions in terms of power, safety, reliability and performance, announced the availability of the RTG4™ FPGA development tool suite. The suite is a first-of-its-kind platform that enables space application designers to evaluate and develop applications based on Microsemi Corporation RTG4 high-speed signal processing radiation-resistant field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices, including data transmission, serial connectivity, bus interfaces, and high-speed designs.

     Minh Nguyen, Senior Marketing Manager, Aerospace and Aviation Business Unit, Microsemi Corporation, said: "Our suite of RTG4 development tools makes it easy for customers to design space applications, and we expect it to drive design activity as this standard platform demonstrates RTG4 capabilities, intellectual property (IP) performance, and interoperability with Microsemi Corporation's industry-leading space solutions portfolio." In addition, Microsemi Corporation is a leader in providing FPgas for applications requiring mitigation of radiation effects and has been committed to growing the space industry, and this new suite of development tools reaffirms our focus on providing evaluation and development solutions to help designers successfully leverage our latest technologies."

     This development kit provides all the necessary references to quickly evaluate and apply RTG4 technology without having to build test boards and assemble components on board. The RTG4 development kit is designed for the evaluation and design of remote sensing space payloads, radar and imaging, as well as spectrometry in civil, scientific and commercial applications, including mobile Satellite service (MSS) communications satellites, as well as high-altitude flight, medical electronics and civil nuclear power plant control.

     Professor Steve Parkes, managing director of UK space enterprise STAR-Dundee, said: "The Microsemi Corporation RTG4 FPGA, with its extensive logic, memory, DSP module and IO capabilities, as well as inherent radiation resistance and built-in configuration memory, is the perfect device for in-spacecraft applications. As the world leader in SpaceWire network technology for spacecraft data processing, we used RTG4's embedded SpaceWire clock recovery circuit and high-speed SERDES capabilities to quickly demonstrate our flight-proven SpaceWire IP operating at over 200 megabits per second; We also used Microsemi Corporation's RTG4 development kit to demonstrate next-generation SpaceFibre IP operating at rates in excess of 2.5 Gb per second. We believe the RTG4 FPGA and our advanced IP complement each other and will create significant value for space customers."

     According to Marco Caceres, senior analyst and director of space research at the Teal Group, a Virginia-based consulting firm, the number of spacecraft 50 kilograms or larger will increase by about 25 percent over the next 10 years, These new spacecraft will have more complex payload electronics and more in-spacecraft data processing than previous spacecraft to maximize data acquisition capabilities while dealing with limited downlink bandwidth.