Space-Ready Processor Dev Kit Unveiled

Alpha Data Launches Adaptable Processors Development Kit for Space

Supporting the move from custom hardware to modular hardware in space, Alpha Data has launched an adaptable processors development kit which comprises a fully radiation tolerant reference design in a deployable VPX format. The core board of the kit will also be available in a deployable spaceflight version, it said.

ADK-VA601 is a system-on-module for (SoM) capable of OBP (on-board processing) and on-orbit reconfiguration, to be available in the first quarter of 2024.

It was designed in collaboration with AMD, Texas Instruments, EPC Space, and Teledyne e2v.

"It builds on the ADK-VA600 which began shipping earlier this year and introduced the AMD XQR Versal AI Core VC1902 Adaptive System-on-Chip to the Space community," said Alpha. "ADK-VA601 provides a fully radiation tolerant reference design in 220mm 6U Space VPX format."

At its heart is the AMD Versal Adaptive SoC and a 160A power supply from Texas Instruments and EPC Space. Teledyne e2v provides the DDR4 memory.

The front panel has a VITA 57.4 FMC+ interface for expansion, and there is a VPX rear transition module for IO.

Applications are foreseen in optical imagery, radar imagery, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and multi-sensor data fusion.

Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Alpha Data is a maker of FPGA-based acceleration boards for data centers, high-performance computing, and rugged embedded computing.