Dependable reconfigurable space systems: Challenges, new trends and case studies

The current state-of-the-art radiation tolerant or hardened reconfigurable SRAM-based FGPAs offer qualification for space applications, dynamic partial reconfiguration for in-flight adaptability, high density and performance. These FPGAs are very suitable for implementation of digital signal processing algorithms, providing the possibility for orders of magnitude increases in performance over processor-based implementations and thus are well suitable to establish dependable reconfigurable space systems. Alternatively, reconfigurable Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs) can be used as low-cost, low-power solutions for non-critical space applications. In this paper, challenges and new trends for dependable reconfigurable space systems are discussed and illustrated with 3 case studies.