Date: 20th July 2010

Radiation tolerant Flash based FPGAs from Actel now qualified for spaceflight systems

Actel has introduced the first fully qualified flash based FPGAs for space flight applications. Actel's RT ProASIC3 has successfully passed the test required for MIL-STD-883 Class B qualification. Actel ushers in a new paradigm in the space market with the qualification of its flash-based RT ProASIC3 devices.

The RT ProASIC3 FPGA family provides designers of spaceflight systems with reprogramability for prototyping and design validation, while at the same time offering critical immunity to radiation induced configuration upsets. These device is based on the ProASIC3 flash architecture and are offered in two sizes.
--The 600,000 gate RT3PE600L
--The 3million gate RT3PE3000L

Both come in ceramic column grid array, ceramic land grid array, and ceramic quad flat-pack packages. RT ProASIC3 FPGAs can operate at a core voltage variable between 1.2 V for low power applications and 1.5 V for performance-driven designs.

The RT ProASIC3 family uses flash cells to store configuration information. This feature enables various advantages to designers of spaceflight electronic hardware such as:

Reprogrammable flash cells - Allow the designer to change the design of the FPGA without removing the FPGA from the board, making prototyping easier.

Non-volatile flash cells - Flash-based FPGAs are standalone devices that enable code storage on-chip thus eliminating the need for an external configuration device.

"This milestone begins a new era for FPGAs in spaceflight applications," said Ken O'Neill director, high-reliability marketing, Actel Corporation. "The inherent benefits of flash, specifically SEU immunity and reprogrammability for radiation-hardened applications, offer a compelling solution for engineers who are taking their applications into space."

For more information visit: www.actel.com.