Protect On-board Data Handling and Other Satellite Systems with SKY-IC-RHLCL-A1
We are proudly presenting our new Radiation Hardened Latch-Up Current LimiterSKY-IC-RHLCL-A1, which is especially designed to protect and supervise modern COTS FPGAs used in on-board data handling and in other satellite systems.
Several voltage rails are typically required to power up a modern FPGA and typically ranging from 0.9 V up to 3.3V. Furthermore, FPGA manufacturer also precisely defines the timings and power-on sequencing of these rails. The power management of FPGAs is thus a complex and delicate task. This is valid especially in Space applications, where adequate latch-up protection due to adverse radiation effects also needs to be considered.
SKY-IC-RHLCL-A1 perfectly tackles these problems due to the ability of protecting the power rails in broad voltage range from 0.8 up to 5.5V. Furthermore, it allows chaining of several LCLs with configurable chain delays in order to arbitrarily design the proper power-on sequence required by the target FPGA. Each LCL connected in such complex power-on chaining sequence is being able to supervise and protect (power-off initiation) its own power rail and what is most important: in case of detected SEL-induced failure in particular power bank, all chained SKY-IC-RHLCL-A1 will receive the fault signal and begin powering off also the remaining power banks.
Besides being able to protect the FPGA in case of SEL, SKY-IC-RHLCL-A1 embeds also one important feature for mission-critical applications: An integrated SEFI watchdog functionality. This watchdog requires a periodical clearing from the protected component. In case of watchdog expiration, SKY-IC-RHLCL-A1 will either power-off, or power-cycle (depending of configuration) the protected component.
From the electrical current limitation perspective, SKY-IC-RHLCL-A1 also provides highly flexible configuration. Two different current limitation periods can be independently configured (the current limits as well as the corresponding timings): the in-rush period, and nominal operational period.
Last but not least, SKY-IC-RHLCL-A1 embeds also SPI interface where the telemetry readouts can be made. Furthermore, the power-on default parameters, such as overvoltage limit, current limits, and all timing parameters are pre-defined, but with variety of options. SKY-IC-RHLCL-A1 embeds the flexibility to change these defaults also via SPI interface.
