The ecosystem

Novo’s products combine the performance of ground systems with the reliability needed for the next generation of space ventures. By leveraging the SpaceVPX standard we are designing modular components that can be combined to create systems according to the mission requirements, ranging from fully redundant to single-threaded “bare minimum” systems. In addition to the VITA 78 (SpaceVPX) standard, Novo’s products incorporate the VITA 57 (FMC) specification, providing its modules with different I/O capabilities. These FMC mezzanine cards offer the flexibility to add mission-specific hardware to the system. Using open standards means not having to climb the learning curve for new designs, and constraining the engineering to the mezzanine card minimizes effort, time, and risk. ​​

 ​Application-specific FMC boards include: ​
  • Solid-State Memory
  • High-performance ADC or DAC
  • High-throughput interfaces like Camera Link® and SpaceWire
  • Low-speed control interfaces like MIL-STD-1553-B, UART, CAN, and more
  • Ad-hoc application-specific cards

WHY IS HAVING AN ECOSYSTEM IMPORTANT?

Though the SpaceVPX standard will bring compatibility among products developed by multiple vendors, the standard defines many different slot, module, and backplane profiles. Having an ecosystem ensures out-of-the-box compatibility among multiple products, reducing risk and development time. In addition, the expertise generated while developing the ecosystem positions Novo in a unique place to help customers integrate third-party products in the same box.

Components

Smart carrier I

The 3U SpaceVPX Smart Carrier is a versatile product fully compatible with the Vita 78 SpaceVPX standard. The Carrier design supports operation as either a Payload or a System Controller in a SpaceVPX backplane. The carrier includes a Xilinx FPGA with ECC protected DDR3 SDRAM memory and triple modular redundant non-volatile NOR memory. This triple redundant memory provides safe storage for software and multiple configuration files for the reconfigurable FPGA. The DDR3 memory can function as a buffer to store data transferred between the high-speed SpaceVPX interface and the high-performance FMC interface. The board also includes a system controller for local supervision and power management  

CPU

​The 3U SpaceVPX CPU is a general-purpose controller compatible with the Vita 78 SpaceVPX standard. The design supports operation as system controller on the backplane or Payload for general purpose applications. The CPU includes a Smarftusion2 SoC device with 2 banks of ECC protected DDR3 SDRAM. Also, the CPU includes triple modular redundant non-volatile NOR memory and SLC NAND memory for the file system (ECC protection optional). The triple redundant NOR memory provides safe storage for software and operating system. The system can run Linux for ease of application development and driver integration. The board also includes a high-performance FMC interface connected to the FPGA fabric of the SoC, so a wide range of FMC boards can be integrated into the system

sMART CARRIER ii

​The 3U SpaceVPX Smart Carrier II is similar to the Smart Carrier I. The main difference is the component used to process data onboard. The Smart Carrier II upgrades the Xilinx FPGA to a powerful Zynq Ultrascale+ SoC. This board can work in both System Controller and Payload configuration.

mASS MEMORY UNIT (FMC)

​The MAss MeMory UniT FMC (MAMMUT) is a daughter card used to expand the storage capability of a system. Offering up to 512 GBytes of SLC NAND raw memory, this FMC can be used in conjunction with the 3U SpaceVPX Smart Carriers or CPU to provide ECC protected mass storage for your system.

Backplanes

The backplane provides fast interconnect through high-speed serial links. The backplanes are designed for the specific needs of the mission (2 to 16 slots, switched and mesh configuration.), according to the level of reliability and number of SpaceVPX boards in the system.  

Support hardware

The support hardware designed by Novo reduces the cost and time required for functional testing. It includes FMC loopbacks and power mezzanine cards and 1-slot backplanes with loopbacks, control interfaces routed to multiple connectors and single power supply.

Operating System and drivers

Each product is provided with the corresponding drivers. The CPU and Smart Carrier II are also provided with the API and OS installed (optional).

Mechanical parts

Novo's components are ruggedized. The mechanical design (optional) is aimed at transferring heat away from the electronic components, standing the mechanical stress in the launch vehicle, and reducing the radiation exposure in space to sustain the TID required for long LEO missions.

custom design TOOLS

​Customers can also develop their own cards based on the SpaceVPX and FMC standards and the information, layout, and generic drivers provided by Novo Space.