On-board Computers represent the core processing units orchestrating intricate operations within satellites. These computers are pivotal in executing commands, processing data, and managing onboard systems, enabling a myriad of satellite functionalities such as communication, navigation, and scientific data collection. As the demand for advanced satellite missions and precise operational capabilities intensifies across governmental and commercial domains, the urgency to enhance onboard computer technologies grows paramount, ensuring efficient performance, robust functionality, and optimal mission success in the dynamic realm of space. In this article, SatNow has listed some interesting On-board computers trending on the website in 2023.

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Cubesat Onboard Computer Module

The OBC-SM-DT-SAMV71 from SPACEMANIC is a Satellite Onboard computer (OBC) that uses a 32-bit Cortex-M7 microcontroller and Spacemanic motherboard. This OBC has a flash storage capacity of 128 MB and a 384Kbytes multi-port SRAM. It comes with a FreeRTOS-based operating system and the software is compatible with a variety of commercial RTOS. The OBC requires a power supply of 3.3-5 V and has an average power consumption of 100 mW. It has a mass of 0.25 Kg and measures 65 x 40 mm. Read more.

Radiation Tolerant Image Processing Computer

The IPC-7000 from Space Micro is a Satellite onboard computer (OBC) based on reconfigurable radiation-mitigated Virtex 7 FPGAs. This compact 3-board system has an IPC memory storage capacity of 2 GB and a rad-hard flash memory SBC storage capacity of 1 GB. It uses a Proton400K Dual Core single board computer and a solid-state buffer of 256 GB per slice. The computer requires an input supply voltage of 28 V and has a power consumption of up to 40 W. It has a mass of 5.8 Kg and measures 10.55 x 7 x 4.35 inches. Read more.

Onboard Computer for Microsat Missions

The NanoMind A3200 from GomSpace is a Satellite On-Board Computer (OBC) that is based on a high-performance AVR32 MCU with a clock frequency of 8-64 MHz. This OBC board carries a 128 MB NOR serial flash and a 512 KB built-in flash. It has a 32 MB SDRAM and 32 kB FRAM for persistent configuration storage. The OBC supports the CAN and I2C interface. It has a mass of 24 g and measures 65 x 40 x 7.1 mm. This OBC is ideal for mission-critical space applications and CubeSat or nano-satellite missions. Read more.

On-Board Computer for Satellites

The ANTELOPE from KP Labs is a Satellite On-Board Computer (OBC) that is based on the Hercules RM57 microcontroller. It comes with an optional Data Processing Unit (DPU) as a payload module equipped with Zynq ultraScale and MPSoC. The OBC module has a PC-104 form factor and an MRAM of 8 or 16 MB. It has a redundant NOR memory of 64 MB and a SLC flash-based filesystem NAND storage of 4 or 8 GB. It is responsible for satellite control and performs basic tasks such as communication handling, monitoring the satellite’s subsystems, handling the FDIR mechanism, and performing planned tasks. Read more.

On-Board Computer for Nano Satellite Platforms

The NANOSATPRO from STM Defense International is a Satellite On-Board Computer (OBC) that is designed for low-earth orbit operations and has a lifetime of up to 2 years in orbit. This OBC has an 8051 Softcore or Leon 3 FT Softcore processor with a clock frequency of 48 MHz.  It has an SDRAM of up to 32 MB (EDAC on memory) and a SPI flash of 128 MB. The OBC supports UART, RS-485, CAN, SPI, and I2C interfaces and requires an input power supply of 4.5-5.5 V. The OBC has a mass of 100 grams and measures 95.90 x 90.18 x 18.21 mm. Read more.

50 MHz SmallSat On-Board Computer

The SIRIUS OBC LEON3FT from AAC Clyde Space is a Small Satellite On-Board Computer (OBC). It has a mass of 130g with PSS, RS-485, UART, and SpaceWire Interfaces. The On-Board computer has a clock frequency of 50 Mhz with a power supply input voltage of 4.5 to 16V and nominal power consumption of 1.3 W. It can operate at temperatures ranging from -30 to 60 Degrees C and has a radiation of 20 Krad. It is designed and qualified for five years in LEO. Read more.

Onboard Computer for CubeSats

The Hercules from GAUSS Srl is an On-Board Computer (OBC) that is designed for CubeSats and microsatellites. This OBC features an ARM Cortex R4F 32-Bit RISC CPU with dual-core CPUs working in lockstep up to 220MHz and comes with 16 analog inputs and more than 20 possible digital GPIO channels. It has a 4Mbit FRAM memory for critical information storage 1Gbit Nor Flash memory and an SD card socket for high-density data storage. The OBC weighs 65 grams and is ideal for safety-critical applications. Read more.

Onboard Computer for Mini and Micro Satellites

The OBC CORE from D-Orbit is a Satellite On-Board Computer (OBC) that features a high-performance AVR32 microcontroller and 1Gbit SPI flash memory. This OBC has a 4 Mbit FRAM and 256 Mbit SDRAM for persistent configuration storage. It has up to 4 cores that can be configured to work as independent onboard computers for load balancing and has 4 x 4 GB configurable eMMC non-volatile memory. It has a mass of 0.15 Kg and measures 150 x 110 x 25 mm. This OBC is ideal for general application on mini and microsatellites. Read more.

On-Board Computer for Microsatellites & LEO Spacecraft

The OBC-GR712 from Spaceteq is a Satellite onboard computer (OBC) that is designed for microsatellite operations and low-earth orbit spacecraft. It has a mass of 0.350 kg and supports the UART interface. This OBC requires a DC supply of 22-34 V and has a power consumption of less than 5 W. It is based on Cobham Gaisler GR712RC, a dual-core LEON 3FT 32-bit SPARC processor that has 256 Mbyte EDAC-protected SDRAM, 2 × 512 Mb NAND Flash banks, 256 Kb MRAM and 256 Kb EEPROM. This OBC measures 233 x 160 x 15.1 mm (6U 160 mm form factor). Read more.

Onboard Computer for Global Satellite Applications

The Amethyst from Airbus is a Satellite On-Board Computer (OBC) based on a high-performance ARM processor designed for safety-critical applications. This OBC has a 192 MBytes SDRAM CPU with error detection and 64 MBytes SDRAM IO with ECC. It requires an input power bus voltage of 22-38 V and has a power consumption of 20-50 W.  It has a mass of 3.5 Kg and measures 110 x 240 x 170 mm. The OBC is ideal for constellation applications and global satellite applications. Read more.

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Note: This list has been compiled based on user activity on SatNow. To ensure that we cover the whole range of Onboard Computers we limited the number of products from each category and company. The listed products are shown in random order and are grouped by category.