Reconfigurable FPGAS for real time image processing in space

Programmable logic offers an efficient solution for the performance and flexibility required by real time image processing systems. Application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) devices could provide such performance, but the lack of flexibility for changing operation requirements and the associated high development and production cost limit their acceptance for space applications. Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) offer highly flexible designs, scalable circuits, and real time system performance. The parallel processing power of FPGAs allows data to be processed more quickly than a similar microprocessor implementation. The High Performance Computing (HPC-I) payload for the Australian scientific mission satellite FedSat has been designed and manufactured to validate the use of FPGA technology onboard satellites for a variety of space applications. This paper elaborates on implementing image processing algorithms and techniques on FPGAs for space applications. It presents the implementation, testing and performance evaluation of a Gaussian filter and convolution engine on HPC-I.