Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
NASA’s High Performance Spaceflight Computing project is developing a radiation-hardened multicore processor to significantly enhance the computational capabilities of spacecraft. The processor is designed to withstand the demanding environment of space while supporting advanced mission requirements such as autonomous operations and faster scientific data analysis.
Current space processors are reliable and can handle harsh conditions but lack advanced computing power. The new processor, built by Microchip, is expected to deliver up to 100 times the capacity of existing spaceflight chips and is fault-tolerant and flexible, according to Eugene Schwanbeck, program element manager at NASA’s Langley Research Center.
Testing at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory exposes the processor to electromagnetic radiation, extreme temperatures, and shocks to simulate spaceflight conditions. These tests include high-fidelity landing scenarios from previous missions to evaluate the ability to process large volumes of landing-sensor data.
Jim Butler, project manager at JPL, said initial testing results are promising, with the processor performing as intended and showing performance up to 500 times greater than current radiation-hardened chips. The testing campaign began in February and is ongoing to confirm the processor’s ability to withstand space challenges while maintaining high performance.
This development is part of NASA’s ongoing efforts to advance computing technologies that enable more complex missions and support astronauts on future Moon and Mars expeditions.