MacSpace - High-performance DSP for onboard image processing

Abstract

The evolution of the Earth Observation mission is driven by the development of new processing paradigms to facilitate data downlink, handling and storage. Next generation planetary observation satellites will generate a great amount of data at a very high data rate, for both radar based and optical core applications. Real-time onboard processing can be the solution to reduce data downlink and management on ground. Not only commonly used image compression techniques (like e.g. JPEG2000) and signal processing can be performed directly on board, but also compression techniques based on more detailed analysis of image data (like e.g. frequency/spectral analysis). The MacSpace RC64 is a prototype DSP/ASIC for novel onboard image processing, which is being designed, developed and benchmarked in the framework of an EU FP7 project and targets these new demands for making a significant step towards exceeding current roadmaps of leading space agencies for future payload processors. The DSP featuring the CEVA X-1643 DSP IP core will deliver performance of 75 GMACs (16bit), 150 GOPS and 38 single precision GFLOPS while dissipating less than 10 Watts.