Reliability Assessment of High Data Rate cPCI Serial Space Connectors

Currently, there are no European connector solutions able to reach 25 Gbit/s required for state of the art on board-to-board interconnections. In the framework of an ESA activity, commercially available solderless backplane connectors compatible with cPCI Serial Space should be tested in accordance with the requirements of ADHA (Advanced Data Handling Architecture). In addition, engineering models of modular backplane high density connectors should be designed based on innovative solderless technologies, manufactured, and tested for high data rate space applications. ESA’s focus is to support the European market to provide a space reliable connector solution, in compliance with the cPCI SS standard and the requirements of ADHA study, able to achieve a data rate of at least 25 Gbit/s.