Microsemi fpgas now suitable for space flight applications

CQFP packages comply with circuit board and assembly techniques, while ceramic withstands the extreme operating temperatures associated with space flight. According to Microsemi, the fpgas are the first devices of their type to provide space flight hardware designers a radiation tolerant, reprogrammable, non volatile logic integration solution. The devices are intended for low power space applications requiring up to 350MHz operation and up to 3million system gates. The fpgas operate at a core voltage between 1.2V for low power applications and 1.5V for performance driven designs. The RT ProASIC3 fpgas are based on secure flash technology designed to provide immunity against damaging radiation induced configuration upsets, while eliminating the need for additional code storage. The reprogrammable fpas are also said to enable quick prototyping and design validation capabilities. The devices in the CQ256 package will be available for prototyping in April 2012, with flight units available by June 2012.