As the demand for small satellites with advanced computational power and reliability, along with robust onboard processor systems that support 5- to 10-year mission durations, increases, so do the limits of modern ultra-deep submicron FPGAs and ASICs and their power delivery networks. These high-performance processors have stringent low-voltage, high-current power requirements, and their system design is further complicated by the complexity of managing thermal and radiation conditions in space.
To meet these demands, Spacechips introduced the AI1 transponder, a small onboard processor card with an ACAP (Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform) AI accelerator. The smart, reconfigurable receiver and transmitter delivers up to 133 tera operations per second (TOPS) of performance, enabling new Earth Observation, Space Services, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and communications applications, supporting real-time autonomous computing while ensuring reliability and longevity to complete longer missions.
“Many spacecraft operators do not have enough RF spectrum bandwidth to download all the acquired data for real-time processing,” said Dr. Rajan Bedi, CEO of Spacechips. “An alternative solution is to perform the processing in orbit and simply downlink the intelligent insights.”
New levels of processing power create imaginative new applications in space and on Earth
Current low-orbit spacecraft can only establish a direct line of sight over a particular area about once every 10 minutes. If satellites are trained to fill in these blind spots using AI algorithms, emergency management teams can make faster, more informed decisions even when direct line-of-sight communication with Earth is not possible. Spacechips leverages these powerful artificial intelligence computing engines to enable AI in orbit to address a variety of Earth-based and space-related problems.
- Track space debris to avoid costly collisions
- Monitoring the health of mission-critical spacecraft systems
- Identify severe weather patterns
- Reporting of important crop production rainfall data
Vicor Factorized Power Architecture delivers high current, low voltage
Given the constrained operating environment of space, precision power management is urgently needed for AI-enabled computing. The need is further exacerbated by the growing number, scope, and variety of missions requiring spacecraft of various types, as well as by the growing reliance on some form of solar power to provide adequate power.
This led Spacechips to partner with Vicor to incorporate the Vicor Factorized Power Architecture (FPA), which uses high-density power modules, into the Spacechips AI1 transponder board. FPA is a power delivery system design that separates the function of DC-DC conversion into independent modules. In Vicor's radiation hardened modules, a bus converter module (BCM) provides isolation and steps down to 28V. On the other hand, a preregulator module (PRM) provides regulation to a voltage conversion module (VTM) or current multiplier that converts 28 V DC to 0.8 V.
The value of the Vicor solution, Bedi said, is that it is very small and has high power density. This increases efficiency and flexibility by reducing size and weight, and provides higher power density, especially in high-performance computing applications.
By adopting Vicor's FPA power delivery system, Bedi is helping telecom and SIGINT operators perform real-time onboard processing by autonomously changing RF frequency planning, channelization, modulation, and communication standards based on actual traffic needs. Vicor power converter modules also feature dual powertrains, providing built-in redundancy to drive 100% of the load on both sides of the powertrain for fault-tolerant space applications.
“Vicor FPA offers a more elegant and efficient solution in a much smaller form factor,” said Bedi. “The benefits of Vicor FPA are orders of magnitude better than any other product on the market.”
Spacechips and Vicor have teamed up to design the most power-dense and reliable processor board in orbit. The AI1 board is radiation hardened, rugged, and compact. This establishes a new standard in power processing and enables New Space's next generation computing and application design.
