Iridium NEXT uses Xilinx space-grade FPGAs

Article By : Xilinx

Xilinx has announced its space-grade Virtex-5QV devices provide scalability and flexibility throughout their operational life in space on-board Iridium NEXT satellites.

Xilinx has announced that it deployed hundreds space-grade Virtex-5QV FPGAs in the launch of the Iridium NEXT satellites. Space grade Virtex-5QV devices provide scalability and flexibility for new applications and innovations throughout its operational life in space. Iridium NEXT is the company's next-generation satellite constellation, replacing and enhancing its existing network of low-Earth orbit satellites spanning the entire globe.

The Iridium NEXT satellite has several space-grade Virtex-5QV devices included on the On Board Processor (OBP) hardware delivered by SEAKR Engineering. The OBP delivers a processing capability of ~1TFLOP and is a key element in the Iridium NEXT reconfigurable fault-tolerant communication processor.

"The re-configurability of Xilinx's space grade Virtex-5QV FPGA enables Iridium NEXT to continue in-orbit integration of future advancements and innovations throughout its operational lifetime, providing scalability and flexibility for potential new applications not yet envisioned," said Eric Anderson, president at SEAKR Engineering.

The first ten Iridium NEXT satellites were launched Jan. 14, 2017.