SEFUW: SpacE FPGA Users Workshop, 6th Edition

Pioneering Radiation-Tolerant SoC FPGAs for Space: Low Power, Zero Configuration Upsets, and RISC-V® Architecture

27 Mar 2025, 09:40

30m

Newton 1 and 2 (European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC))

Oral presentation FPGA vendor FPGA vendors

Speaker

Henrique Pires de Almeida Nobre (Microchip Technology Germany II GmbH & C)

Description

The RT PolarFire® family of SoC FPGAs represents a new generation of radiation-tolerant embedded systems. Built on Microchip's flight-proven RT PolarFire FPGA fabric, these devices offer outstanding power efficiency, high reliability, best-in-class security and enhanced radiation performance, making them ideal for deployment in demanding environments with broad offerings for Low Earth Orbit (LEO), deep space or anything in between.
This abstract summarizes the key features, capabilities, and radiation resilience characteristics of these SoC FPGAs. The RT PolarFire SoC FPGA leverages the RISC-V® architecture, supporting not only the flexibility of Linux®-based systems but also ensures the determinism required for real-time control systems. Its multi-core processor, coherent with the memory subsystem, provides central satellite processing capabilities akin to single-board computers widely used in the space industry for command and data handling, platform avionics, and payload control. This versatility enables the development of highly integrated designs that are customizable and adaptable over time while optimizing size, weight, and power considerations.
Designed to withstand the harsh radiation conditions of space, the RT PolarFire SoC FPGA eliminates the need for external scrubbers by achieving zero configuration memory upsets, reducing both system complexity and cost. By consuming up to 50% less power compared to competing solutions, it simplifies satellite design, easing thermal dissipation challenges and power management requirements.
Finally, coupled with Microchip’s Mi-V ecosystem, which supports a wide range of operating systems such as Linux, VxWorks®, and Zephyr®, designers can accelerate development timelines for mission-critical applications. Mi-V is a comprehensive suite of tools and design resources, developed with numerous third parties, to support RISC-V designs. The Mi-V ecosystem aims to increase adoption of the RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA) and support Microchip’s SoC FPGA portfolio.
Backed by over six decades of expertise in powering spaceflight missions and a path to achieving the Qualified Manufacturers List (QML) qualification, the RT PolarFire SoC FPGA delivers a reliable, high-performance, and radiation-tolerant platform for advancing the frontiers of space exploration.

Affiliation of author(s)

Microchip