High-performance board delivers robust radiation-tolerant computing for space payloads

Written by Copernical Team Wednesday, 29 October 2025 04:56

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Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 29, 2025

Frontgrade Technologies has introduced the SBC-2A72 VPX Single Board Computer, engineered for high-reliability computing in advanced space missions. The board is built around the VA7230 Dual ARM Cortex-A72 processor with integrated GPU, delivering 10.4 GFLOPs and supporting OpenGL and OpenCL standards for payload processing, imaging, and graphics. The SBC-2A72 weighs under 0.65 kilograms and con

High-performance board delivers robust radiation-tolerant computing for space payloads
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 29, 2025

Frontgrade Technologies has introduced the SBC-2A72 VPX Single Board Computer, engineered for high-reliability computing in advanced space missions. The board is built around the VA7230 Dual ARM Cortex-A72 processor with integrated GPU, delivering 10.4 GFLOPs and supporting OpenGL and OpenCL standards for payload processing, imaging, and graphics. The SBC-2A72 weighs under 0.65 kilograms and consumes less than 15 watts, meeting strict size and weight requirements for spacecraft integration.

The board's CertusPro-NX-RT FPGA and XMC+ mezzanine interface enable configurable I/O to accommodate specific mission needs, such as high-speed networking, secure telemetry, image processing, and custom control. Its radiation-hardened microcontroller manages power and system health, with built-in tolerance to single-event latch-up and up to 50krad TID for extended operation in space environments.

Security features include secure boot, Arm TrustZone, and a dedicated hardware security engine for protecting sensitive operations. Connectivity options encompass Gigabit Ethernet, PCIe, USB 3.0, DisplayPort, GPIO, UART, and SpaceWire. The SBC-2A72 offers 8GB ECC DDR4 memory and 32GB eMMC storage, supporting throughput and interoperability for a range of applications.

"The SBC-2A72 is built to give our customers the performance, reliability, and adaptability they need to advance their space missions with confidence," said Lorne Graves, Sr. VP and Chief Technology Officer at Frontgrade. "By delivering powerful computing in a compact, radiation-tolerant form factor, we enable spacecraft designers to do more with less, without compromising mission assurance."