MIL-STD-883 Class B Qualification for RTG4 FPGAs

Microsemi also announced the availability of RTG4 space flight models in various screening flows including the B Flow and the Extended Flow (E Flow), providing additional screening options and a higher level of reliability assurance required in many critical space applications.

“Achieving this important qualification strengthens Microsemi’s leadership position in space and reinforces our commitment to providing the highest quality and reliability solutions to meet the increasing demands of modern satellite payloads,” said Minh Nguyen, Microsemi’s senior marketing manager, space and aviation.

“Customers can now procure RTG4 FPGAs screened to B Flow per MIL-STD-883 Class B and Microsemi’s E Flow, making it easy for customers to select RTG4 for programs requiring the highest performing FPGAs.”

Microsemi is a Qualified Manufacturers List (QML)-certified manufacturer of high reliability FPGAs for space applications. Meeting the stringent standards of the MIL-STD-883 Class B qualification paves the way for Microsemi’s RTG4 FPGAs to secure QML Class Q and QML Class V qualifications in the near future. Adding Microsemi’s E Flow to these devices offers additional testing for space applications requiring a screening level beyond the MIL-STD-883 Class B standard.

To achieve the new qualification, Microsemi’s RTG4 FPGAs passed a series of environmental tests to determine resistance to deleterious effects of natural elements and conditions surrounding defense and space operations, as well as mechanical and electrical tests.

RTG4 units from multiple wafer lots successfully completed 1,000-hour high temperature life tests, proving the high reliability of RTG4 flash cells in extreme conditions.

RTG4 FPGAs bring new capabilities to the market and help solve satellite signal processing congestion, while having high reliability as shown in the recent MIL-STD-883 Class B qualification. According to Euroconsult's 2015 report titled, "Satellites to Be Built and Launched by 2024," 60% more satellites will be launched by 2024 versus the past decade.

This increase is driven primarily by civilian government agencies as established space countries replace and expand their in-orbit satellite systems and more countries acquire their first operational satellite systems.

RTG4 FPGAs bring new capabilities to the market and combine a wealth of features with the highest quality and reliability to meet the increasing demands of modern satellite payloads. The devices feature reprogrammable flash configuration, making prototyping easier for customers. RTG4’s reprogrammable flash technology offers complete immunity to radiation-induced configuration upsets in the harshest radiation environments, without the configuration scrubbing required with SRAM FPGA technology.

RTG4 supports space applications requiring up to 150,000 logic elements, and each includes a LUT4 and a flip-flop with built-in triple module redundancy (TMR). The devices also features total ionising dose (TID) beyond 100 kilorads, as well as high system performance of up to 300 MHz without single event transient (SET) mitigation.

The RTG4 Development Kit features Microsemi’s Libero SoC Design Suite, offering high productivity with its comprehensive, easy to learn, easy to adopt development tools for designing with Microsemi’s radiation-tolerant FPGAs.

The suite integrates industry standard Synopsys SynplifyPro synthesis and Mentor Graphics ModelSim simulation with best-in-class constraints management, debug capabilities and secure production programming support.