Microchip has performed several sets of radiation tests on RT PolarFire FPGAs and determined that the FPGAs can be programmed in space, with a greater-than-99% probability of success in space.
RT PolarFire reprogramming in space is supported using JTAG with DirectC, with the following guidance:
- Single Event Effects (SEE) Impact
- Probability of first-time success for programming in GEO-synchronous orbit with Solar-Min conditions is calculated to be greater than 99%. If radiation disrupts programming, it is likely that the next programming attempt will be successful. Heavy ION test results can be obtained from Microchip, on request.
- Probability of programming success in LEO is very high. No programming or verify failure was observed in accelerated ground testing. Proton test data is available from Microchip, on request.
- In-beam reprogramming and verify is non-destructive as seen in accelerated ground testing.
- It is unlikely that an ION will disrupt programming, since the flux in space is many orders of magnitude lower than the flux tested during accelerated ground testing.
- Total Ionizing Dose (TID) Impact
- No in-flight programming constraints are identified after TID testing to 100 Krad.