BAE Systems and IDT develop new space-grade chips to accelerate and improve data transmission in space

     IDT Corporation has announced a new technology for space applications that enables the transmission of larger volumes of data during space missions at higher speeds than any previously possible. BAE Systems' new space-grade chip, the RADNET1848-PS RapidIO switch, will use the first RapidIO interconnect technology on the market to accelerate the transfer of large amounts of data through a network of radiating hardened computer systems in outer space.

     Ian McDonald, Director of BAE Systems' Space Products and Processing Business unit, commented: "As more and more complex sensors are applied to space missions, BAE Systems recognized the need to develop chips that can handle larger volumes of data transmission, and by employing IDT's technology, we have achieved this goal." "These advances provide critical networking for high-performance space systems and can support the next generation of military, commercial, civil, and even high-energy physics needs."

     BAE Systems selected IDT's 240 Gbps CPS-1848 RapidIO switch as the basis for building its Radnet 1848-PS product. IDT's RapidIO chips, previously used to connect components of computer systems, provide high reliability at ultra-high speeds, providing very high energy efficiency (superior performance per watt), low latency, and deterministic packet transmission for a reliable, fault-tolerant system. These space-grade solutions are immune to the high-intensity ionizing/radiation environment of space and work well in it. BAE Systems' new radiation-resistant RapidIO switch is now available for the space and military sectors.

     BAE Systems and IDT have been working with other leading technology companies to develop products for use in space. With the new RADNET1848-PS space-grade RapidIO switch, the system architecture can now be built under this new backbone data interconnect. The concept for the new RapidIO switch began in 2012, when the Next Generation Space Interconnect Standards (NGSIS) team selected the RapidIO protocol as a candidate technology for digital data transmission, and eventually over other interconnect technologies including Ethernet, Infiniband and PCIe. NGSIS is a government-industry initiative that defines a set of standards for interconnecting space system components. These standards, collectively known as SpaceVPX, are designed to promote interoperability and enable users to economically and efficiently develop computer systems for use in space.

     Sean Fan, vice president and general manager of IDT Interfaces and Connections, said: "Our RapidIO technology was recently adopted by CERN to help researchers explore the mysteries of the universe, and now the technology itself is beginning to go into space. As RapidIO's powerful capabilities and benefits become more recognized, the technology's role in high-volume ground-based applications such as wireless communications and big data analytics will no doubt continue to grow."