NASA Contractor Report 198165

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Advanced Flight Computer

Special Study Final Report

Dennis Coo

Loral Federal Systems, Manassas, Virginia

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Purchase Order L-40679D

March 1995

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Langley Research Center

Hampton, Virginia 23681-0001

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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19950020826 2018-05-02T12:11:22+00:00Z

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES ...........................................................

LIST OF TABLES ............................................................

LIST OF ACRONYMS ........................................................

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .....................................................

1. OVERVIEW ..............................................................

2. ARCHITECTURE DEFINITION ............................................

2.1 Architecture Study Concept and Approach ...................................

2.1.1 AFC System Architecture Concept .......................................2.1.2 Initial Baselines ......................................................

2.1.2. I Control / General Purpose Processor ....................................

2.1.2.2 Digital Signal Processor ..............................................

2.1.2.3 Advanced Memory Packaging .........................................

2.2 Comparison to AFC 1998 Performance Goals .................................

2.3 Description of the AFC System Architecture ..................................2.3.1 AFC Processor Module Architecture ......................................

2.3.2 AFC Global Memory Module Architecture .................................2.3.3 AFC I/O Module Architecture ...........................................

2.3.4 AFC Digital Signal Processor Module Architecture ..........................

2.3.5 Processor Comparisons ................................................

2.3.6 Node Connection Comparisons ..........................................

3. VLS! TECHNOLOGY .....................................................

3.1 Essential Parameters/Characteristics for AFC .................................

3.1.1 Feature Size .........................................................

3. ! .2 Technology Type .....................................................

3.13 Voltage Level ........................................................

3.1 4 Number of Wiring Levels ...............................................

3.1.5 Device Isolation ......................................................

3.1.6 Radiation Hardness ...................................................

3.1.7 Compatibility with Commercial VLSI Process ..............................

A VLSI Technology Roadmap for AFC .......................................

Silicon-On-Insulator (SO1) Technology ......................................VLSI PACKAGING STUDY ................................................

Packaging Approach Studies ...............................................

4.1.1 Processor Module Packaging ............................................

4.1.2 Global Memory Module Packaging .......................................

4.1.3 I/O Module Packaging .................................................

3.2

3.3

4.

4.1

4.2

5.

6.

6.1

6.2

7.

Appendix A

Packaging Study Observations ...................ISSUES and FUTURE TRADE STUDIES ..........

DEVELOPMENT PLAN ........................

Product Development at Loral ...................

Development Plan .............................

CONCLUSION ................................

BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. AFC System Architecture Concept Layout Diagram ........................... 9

Figure 2. AFC Processor Module Architecture ....................................... 14

Figure 3. AFC Global Memory Module Architecture .................................. 15

Figure 4. AFC Global Memory Module Architecture .................................. 16

Figure 5. AFC Multi-Node DSP Module Architecture ................................. 17

Figure 6. AFC Node Connection Alternatives ........................................ 19

Figure 7. AFC DSP Node Connection Alternative .................................... 20

Figure 8. Loral's VLS] Technology Roadmap: A Representative Path for AFC ............. 28

Figure 9. Loral's VLSI Circuit Density Improvement .................................. 29

Figure 10. Processor Module Package Alternatives ................................... 32

Figure I I. Global Memory Module Packaging Alternatives (not shown to scale) ............ 34

Figure 12. Loral Federal Systems Manassas Space Processor Products Evolution ........... 4 I

Figure 13. High Level AFC Development Plan ...................................... 43

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Advanced Flight Computer 1998 Performance Goals ...........................

Table 2. Comparison to AFC 1998 Performance Goals ................................

Table 3. Summary of AFC System Processor Features .................................

Table 4. VLSI Technology Parameters/Characteristics Essential to AFC Specification ........

Table 5. Dimensions for Core Chips Used in the AFC Study ............................

Table 6. Summary of Processor Module Package Alternatives ...........................

Table 7. Comparison of SRAM Global Memory Packaging Alternatives ..................

Table 8. Comparison of DRAM Global Memory Packaging Alternatives ..................

Table 9. Comparison of I/O Module Packaging Alternatives ............................

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!!1

AD, ADI

AFC

AISM

ASCM

ASPS

ATIM

BEOL

BiCMOS

CFP

DMA

DoD

DSP

ECC

ECL

FP

GaAs

GVSC

HD!

HMC

IBM

JTAG

LaRC

Left

LOCOS

MCM

MESI

NASA

PBEOL

PCB

PCI

POWER

PPC

PVS

QFP

LIST OF ACRONYMS

Analog Devices. Inc.

Advanced Flight Computer (NASA program)

Advanced Insertion of Standard Microelectronics (Phillips Lab program)

Advanced Spaceborne Computer Module (Phillips Lab program)

Advanced Spaceborne Processor Subassembly (Space Systems Loral)

Advanced Technology Insertion Module (ASCM follow-on)

Back-end-of-the-line VLSI fabrication phase

Bipolar-CMOS

Ceramic Flat Pack

Direct Memory Access

Department of Defense

Digital Signal Processor

Error Correction Code

Emitter-Coupled Logic

Flat Pack

Gallium Arsenide

Generic VHSIC Spacebome Computer (Phillips Lab program)

High Density Interconnect

Hermetic Memory Card

International Business Machines Corporation

Joint Test Action Group

Langley Research Center (NASA)

Effective Channel Length of a Transistor Gate

Locally Oxidized Silicon

Multi-Chip Module

Modified. Exclusive, Shared, Invalid cache coherency states

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Planar Back-end-of-the-line VLSI fabrication method/phase

Printed Circuit Board

Peripheral Component Interconnect bus

Performance Optimized With Enhanced RISC (IBM architecture)

PowerPC

PowerPC Visual Simulator

Quad Flat Pack

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RAD6000 -SC/-MC

RHCMOS

RHSRAM

RSC

SBC

SCM

SEU

SiO2

SOA

SOG

SOl

SOP

STI

TI

TSOP

UTMC

VCOS

VLSI

XCVR

Radiation hardened RISC System/6000 CPU, -Single Chip /-Multi Chip

Radiation Hardened CMOS

Radiation Hardened SRAM

IBM RISC System/6000 Single Chip CPU

Single Board Computer

Single Chip Module

Single Event Upset

Silicon Dioxide

State-of--the--art

Sea of Gates design method

Silicon On Insulator

State-of-the--practice

Shallow Trench Isolation

Texas Instruments Corporation

Thin Small Outline Package

United Technologies Microelectronics Center

Loral VLS1 Chips On Silicon multi--chip module

Very Large Scale Integration

Transceiver

V

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Advanced Flight Computer (AFC) is a NASA effort to define and develop a 32--bit radiation

hardened, SEU tolerant flight computer module which significantly reduces power, weight, and vol-

ume when compared with current approaches, while maintaining or increasing throughput and

memory capacity. The AFC is intended for flight qualifiable readiness in 1998, with potential use

in missions beginning in 2000. Demonstrable prototypes would be available in 1995-96, including

full function brassboard(s) and tools, with a clearly defined low-cost, low-risk path to final packag-

ing and flight qualification.

The purpose