NASA, Microchip Unveil Deep-Space Chip With 500x Test Performance as Capacity Jumps 100x
Updated
Updated · Quantum Zeitgeist · May 22
NASA, Microchip Unveil Deep-Space Chip With 500x Test Performance as Capacity Jumps 100x
4 articles · Updated · Quantum Zeitgeist · May 22
Testing that began in February shows NASA’s new radiation-hardened processor already running 500 times faster than current space-qualified chips, according to JPL.
The palm-sized multicore chip, developed with Microchip Technology, is designed to survive radiation, extreme temperatures and shock while delivering up to 100 times the computing capacity of today’s spaceflight computers.
That added power is meant to let deep-space spacecraft analyze data onboard, make autonomous decisions and avoid radiation-triggered safe-mode interruptions when real-time human control is impossible.
Microchip plans to adapt the technology for aviation and automotive uses, extending a NASA-led deep-space computing project into terrestrial markets.
This NASA-grade processor is coming to Earth. Which industry will it transform first?
How will this 100x faster 'space brain' allow future probes to make discoveries without human help?
With spacecraft making their own decisions, what happens when they face a choice humans never predicted?
NASA and Microchip’s HPSC: Delivering a 500x Leap in Space Computing with RISC-V for Autonomous Missions
Overview
Space computing is undergoing a major transformation with the unveiling of the High Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC) technology, a result of collaboration between NASA and Microchip. Driven by NASA’s Science & Technology Mission Directorate, the HPSC initiative aims to greatly enhance the power and reliability of space-qualified computing. The program has successfully delivered the Microchip PIC64-HPSC MPU, designed as the highest-performing space processor available. This breakthrough technology is set to introduce a new era of processing power for space missions, enabling advanced capabilities and supporting the next generation of exploration and scientific discovery.