Space-Ready 8 GB DDR4 Memory Optimizes SWaP

The latest announcement from Teledyne e2v signifies the successful completion of the initial qualification process for their DDR4 memory. This milestone includes a series of rigorous upscreening activities like temperature cycling, construction analysis, and radiation tests. The company has also conducted C-SAM and confocal scanning acoustic microscopy, preconditioning, and Temperature Humidity Bias tests to ensure the memory's reliability in space environments.

With the increasing demand for compact and high-density memory solutions, Teledyne e2v emphasizes that their new 8 GB DDR4 memory chip is fully compatible with a wide range of high-end space processing components. These components include processors from AMD/Xilinx VERSAL® ACAP, space FPGAs, MPSOCs, Microchip RT PolarFire®, and various proprietary ASICs. This compatibility makes the memory chip a versatile option for next-generation space designs.

Modern satellite payloads are constantly transmitting large volumes of data, requiring efficient and high-performance memory solutions. Micro- and Cube-Sats, in particular, impose strict limitations on system size and power consumption. Space missions such as Earth observation demand significant storage capacity, putting pressure on memory solutions in terms of bandwidth, access time, power efficiency, physical footprint, and storage capabilities.

Thomas Guillemain, the Marketing & Business Development Manager for Data Processing Products at Teledyne e2v, highlights the importance of fast memory in data-intensive satellites. He notes that the new 8 GB DDR4 memory chip effectively doubles storage density within the same compact form factor as the previous 4 GB version. Additionally, the memory chip is available in multiple temperature grades and qualification variants, meeting stringent space-grade requirements up to NASA level 1 standards.

The high-speed 8 GB DDR4 memory boasts a transfer rate of 2400 MT/s and is designed to be single-event latch-up (SEL) immune up to 60 MeV.cm²/mg. It can withstand a total ionizing dose (TID) of 100 krad and has SEU data up to 60 MeV.cm²/mg. Physically, the memory device is packaged in the same form factor as the 4 GB version (15 x 20 x 1.92 mm), effectively doubling storage density while maintaining pinout compatibility.