The SiFive RISC-V chip will be the main processor for NASA’s recently announced High-Performance Space Flight Computer (HPSC). This computer system will form the backbone of future manned and unmanned missions, including those on the Moon and Mars.

Computers are crucial in space missions and will become even more important if we want to get to Mars and beyond. NASA is developing a new space computer, and the main microprocessor will be provided by SiFive and Microchip.

The HPSC processor will replace the aging BAE RAD750 under the PowerPC architecture that was introduced more than two decades ago and has completed countless space missions, including the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers and the James Web Space Telescope.

SiFive ensures that the 12-core processor that it designs together with Microchip multiplies the power by 100 than its predecessor while offering superior power efficiency thanks to its ability to turn off more parts of the chip when not in use. This performance is important for new missions, in flight, guidance or communication applications. More specifically, eight HPSC processor cores will be optimized for SiFive’s AI/ML processing, in addition to four general-purpose RISC-V CPU cores.

Beyond performance alone, however, chips destined for space have to contend harsh operating conditions. Architecturally, SiFive’s design benefits from the manufacturer’s experience in developing chips for automotive applications. «The automotive industry has very similar type requirements in terms of high reliability, fault tolerance and functional safety.”they explain.

Advantages of RISC-V

RISC-V is a project that emerged from the University of California, Berkeley, and whose main goal is to develop the most promising Open Source processor in the industry today. AND a new open source chip design based on the RISC architecture which offers a cheaper (and open) way to manufacture semiconductors for today’s applications and all the new technologies that are coming for autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, virtual reality or data centers.

and space flights. RISC-V has attracted significant attention and hundreds of millions of dollars in investment in recent years, due in part to the open, free, and lightweight nature of its ISA architecture, which contains less than 50 instructions, where official and third-party extensions can be added to provide more instructions to the CPU core to meet any operational requirements.

In addition to the open, free ISA and corresponding chip hardening treatment (especially against radiation) required by semiconductors for spatial fairings, NASA’s decision to choose the RISC-V design is also related to the fact that this architecture it will have a huge developer base In 10, 15 or even 20 years, the next generation computer is expected to last.

“This next-generation spaceflight processor will have a huge impact on our future space missions and even technology here on Earth.”explains Niki Werkheiser, director of technology at NASA. “This effort will expand the capabilities of existing spacecraft and enable new ones, and could ultimately be used by virtually all future space missions,” secured.

RISC-V to space! A new leap for this promising architecture that will become the star of Open Source hardware. Route and other information | Registration