Speakers
Mr
Martin Lindskog
(RUAG Space)Mr
Peter Sinander
(RUAG Space)
Description
Activity: GSTP
ESA TO: Mr. Kostas Marinis - Data Systems Division
RUAG Space is the major independent European supplier of Data Handling Systems (DHS) and On-Board Computers (OBC) for launchers, satellite platforms, payload control and similar equipment based on advanced computer technology. In order to remain competitive and to be able to provide the European space community with a high performance computer core, a need to integrate the processor, telemetry, telecommand and reconfiguration functions on the same board forming a Single Board Computer Core (SBCC) has been identified.
The main enabler for the SBCC is the next generation system-on-chip. In the first phase of the activity an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) prototype of this chip, called CREOLE (derived from the current generation chips CROME combined with the COLE) has been developed. The development has been divided into three separate phases, where the end result will be the CREOLE ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) and its corresponding software drivers that will be used for the next generation of highly integrated DHS and OBCs. This presentation will summarize phase 1 which was finished in early 2014.
The CREOLE integrates all major functions of the COLE, CROME and HAMSTER chips that form the basis of the current generation computers form RUAG Space. Functions include a LEON fault tolerant processor, I/O controllers, telecommand decoder, telemetry encoder, reconfiguration controller and Mass memory controller needed to support many different applications.
An FPGA breadboard called MFC (Multi-Functional Core) has been developed including the CREOLE FPGA. It is a high performance multi-functional board with many I/O options that makes it suitable for a large number of prototype developments. Software drivers for the MFC board have been developed, in line with the software drivers supplied with the current flight generation of computers from RUAG Space.
