What are Space Qualified FPGAs?

Space Qualified FPGAs are reconfigurable logic devices engineered to operate reliably in the harsh radiation, thermal, and vacuum conditions encountered in space environments. They integrate configurable logic blocks, programmable interconnects, embedded memory resources, and dedicated I/O structures within a single semiconductor device. Through hardware description languages and configuration bitstreams, designers can implement custom digital architectures including signal processing chains, on-board data handling systems, communication interfaces, and real-time control logic. Their reprogrammable nature enables design flexibility during development and, in certain architectures, in-orbit reconfiguration to adapt to mission requirements.

These devices are fabricated using processes and design techniques optimized for radiation resilience, including hardened-by-design logic cells, configuration memory protection, and mitigation mechanisms against single-event effects. Space qualification involves screening, radiation characterization, and lot acceptance testing to ensure deterministic behavior across specified orbital conditions. By consolidating multiple digital subsystems into a single component, Space Qualified FPGAs reduce board complexity, interconnect density, and mass, while supporting high-reliability architectures required for spacecraft avionics, payload processing, and communication subsystems.

Key specifications of space qualified FPGAs:

• Orbit: The specified orbit defines the radiation environment, particle flux, and total ionizing dose exposure that the FPGA must withstand. Different orbital regimes impose distinct requirements for single-event latch-up immunity, configuration memory robustness, and long-term parametric stability. Orbit selection directly influences screening level, shielding strategy, and the degree of radiation hardening required to maintain functional integrity over the mission duration.
• RAM Storage: RAM storage refers to the embedded memory resources available within the FPGA fabric, including block RAM and distributed memory structures. This parameter determines the device’s capacity to buffer telemetry, implement data processing pipelines, and support complex state machines without reliance on external memory. RAM architecture impacts access latency, throughput, error detection implementation, and overall system-level memory management strategy.
• Supply Voltage: Supply voltage defines the required operating voltage levels for the FPGA core and I/O banks. It affects power consumption, switching performance, noise margins, and compatibility with other spacecraft subsystems. Proper voltage specification ensures stable operation across temperature extremes and mitigates risks associated with undervoltage or overvoltage stress, particularly under radiation-induced threshold shifts and aging effects.
• Radiation Tolerance: Radiation tolerance characterizes the FPGA’s ability to withstand total ionizing dose, displacement damage, and single-event effects such as upsets and latch-up. This parameter is central to mission assurance, as radiation-induced faults can corrupt configuration memory or disrupt logic states. Devices with higher radiation tolerance incorporate mitigation techniques such as error detection and correction, configuration scrubbing compatibility, and hardened circuit topologies to ensure reliable long-term operation.
• Memory Type: Memory type refers to the underlying configuration and storage technology used within the FPGA, such as volatile or non-volatile configuration memory. The selected memory technology influences susceptibility to radiation-induced bit flips, reconfiguration requirements at power-up, and the need for external configuration devices. Memory type also affects boot architecture, redundancy strategies, and system-level fault management approaches in space-qualified designs.

The Largest Database of Space Qualified FPGAs

SatNow has listed Space Qualified FPGAs from the leading manufacturers and made them searchable by specification. You can enter the key parameters and the search tool will scan catalogs from the leading manufacturers to identify products that meet your spec. Once you find Space Qualified FPGAs that meet your requirement, you can view product information, download datasheets or request quotations. Quotation requests will be routed to the manufacturer of the product who will get back to you directly. The quotation will also be routed to distributors of the product in your region.