Based on an Arm Cortex-A72, and with multiple high-speed interfaces, it will process and route data from various sources, such as RF front ends, image sensors and radars.
Target use cases for the design include Earth observation, SATCOM applications, defence in space, and space debris monitoring.
As well as featuring the company’s radiation tolerant Qormino QLS1046-Space processing platform, it also incorporates data comms technology from Microchip. Specifically, its VSC8541RT (a radiation tolerant single port Gigabit Ethernet copper PHY) and the VSC8574RT (a radiation-tolerant, low-power, quad-port Gigabit Ethernet transceiver).
Teledyne writes:
“Thanks to the 30,000 DMIPS computing capability offered by the quad Arm Cortex-A72 cores and 4 to 8 GB of high speed DDR4 of the QLS1046-Space, and its multiple high-speed interfaces, the architecture can process and route large incoming data rates from various sources, including telecommunication RF front ends, high-resolution image sensors, radars, and other processing devices in the spacecraft.”
“The design uses the VSC8541RT PHY to offer two RGMII links, as well as the new VSC8574RT to offer two SGMII interfaces, leading to a total of four Gigabit Ethernet connections. This number could even be ported up to seven Ethernet interfaces by exploiting all high-speed interfaces available on the QLS1046-Space, and up to 18 with the future LX2160-Space.”
Teledyne highlights it enables high-speed transfers between the QSL1046-Space and other devices placed on different accompanying boards within the satellite or spacecraft.
“In the vast majority of cases, modern Space hardware will have a decentralized architecture,” said Thomas Porchez, Application Engineer at Teledyne e2v. “Normally communication between the constituent subsystems relies on 10-100Mbit data transfer rates. Greater levels of functional sophistication are now being incorporated for purposes like advanced telecommunication schemes, real-time image processing, AI-driven analysis, and navigation. This means that augmented performance is being mandated.”
“By working with Microchip, we’ve been able to significantly boost the interfacing capabilities for designs using the QLS1046-Space, leading to accelerated speeds plus extended propagation range. Consequently, they are completely aligned with what Space customers are now demanding for edge computing applications.”
EDHPC
The design has been presented at EDHPC 2023 (European Data Handling & Data Processing Conference) in Juan-les-Pins.
Staff from both Teledyne e2v and Microchip were presenting papers relating to their involvement in edge-located processing and inter-board communication for Space deployments at the conference.
See also: Teledyne e2v Space Imaging launches recruitment drive
