As civil, commercial, scientific, and defence spacecraft become more autonomous, software-defined and data intensive, mission developers need greater onboard processing capability, combined with the resilience, security, and reliability needed for demanding space environments
Microchip Technology has achieved important milestones for its PIC64-HPSC High-Performance Spaceflight Computing Series, a 64-bit multicore RISC-V computing platform for spacecraft, satellites, and other mission-critical space systems.
Early radiation characterisation of the PIC64-HPSC1000-RH radiation-hardened variant has demonstrated Total Ionising Dose (TID) performance to 200 krad(Si) and successful Single Event Latch-up (SEL) testing to 78.2MeV·cm²/mg under specified operating conditions.
Additionally, early testing demonstrated robust system-controller operation during Single Event Effects (SEE) characterisation, with no uncorrected errors or external resets required during the testing completed to date. These results provide tangible evidence of the platform’s progress toward meeting radiation-tolerance requirements, enabling future spaceflight systems from Low Earth Orbit to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Kevin So, vice president of Microchip’s communications business unit, said, “Our vision for PIC64-HPSC was to develop a modern, high-performance computing platform capable of enabling the next generation of civil, commercial, scientific and defense space systems. The combination of operational silicon, radiation-characterization results and customer evaluation activity demonstrates continued execution against that vision and marks an important step in the maturation of the platform.”
Through the PIC64-HPSC Early Access Program, participating customers have been evaluating silicon and development kits, and beginning application development with supporting software, tools, technical resources, and direct engineering assistance from Microchip.
A growing ecosystem of board partners is also developing PIC64-HPSC-based VPX and VNX+ computing platforms, providing additional paths for system developers to integrate the processor into future space systems. The Early Access Program can help space-system developers reduce programme risk and advance application development.
Initial silicon performance measurements are in line with programme objectives, providing a foundation for increasingly compute-intensive workloads, such as onboard autonomy, high-performance payload processing, Earth observation and intelligence, secure communications, spacecraft control, scientific exploration and edge AI.
Processing more sensor and mission data onboard enables future spacecraft to reduce dependence on communications bandwidth, shorten decision-making latency, and respond more rapidly to changing mission conditions. Additionally, the significance of advanced onboard processing is reflected in NASA’a FY26 Civil Space Shortfall Prioritisation, which ranked advanced onboard computing for space operations as the third-highest civil space technology shortfall.
PIC64-HPSC is a scalable computing foundation for a broad range of next-generation space systems. Its 64-bit multicore RISC-V architecture supports the industry’s shift toward more open, scalable models for onboard autonomy, software-defined spacecraft, distributed processing, deterministic communications and heterogeneous computing.
PIC64-HPSC originated from MASA and JPL’s assessment of future spaceflight computing requirements and awarded the HPSC contract to Microchip in 2022. Today, operational silicon, customer evaluations, and early radiation-characterisation achievements reflect the programme’s progress to date.
The HPSC programmed helped establish the foundation for Microchip’s 64-bit computing portfolio, which the company has since expanded its portfolio of PIC64 MPU’s to address performance requirements across various markets.
