SpaceWire PXI Mk2

The SpaceWire PXI Mk2 card is a versatile SpaceWire Interface, Router or RMAP Target device. The card is designed to be an efficient host interface to a SpaceWire system or network, by utilising a cPCI or PXI backplane.

The PXI Mk2 takes advantage of STAR-Dundee’s SpaceWire Router technology which allows the card to act as an efficient host interface with direct access to the SpaceWire ports, or as a SpaceWire Router where packets can be routed between the SpaceWire ports or between the PXI interface and the SpaceWire ports.

The SpaceWire PXI Mk2 is available in three formats; SpaceWire Interface, SpaceWire Router and SpaceWire Interface with RMAP Target. The SpaceWire Interface and SpaceWire Interface with RMAP Target cards are available in 4 or 8HP (Horizontal Pitch) wide formats. All available options are listed below:

  • SpaceWire Interface Mk2: 4 port SpaceWire Interface device with 4 data channels and 1 control channel for direct access to the SpaceWire ports through the PXI interface. Available as 4HP wide card or 8HP wide card. The 8HP card has 4 general purpose bi-directional triggers on the front panel
  • SpaceWire Interface Mk2 with RMAP Target: 4 port SpaceWire Interface device with 4 embedded configurable Remote Memory Access Protocol (RMAP) targets and 1 GB of DDR3 memory. Available as 4HP wide card or 8HP wide card. The 8HP card has 4 general purpose bi-directional triggers on the front panel
  • SpaceWire Router Mk2: 12 port SpaceWire Router device available as an 8HP wide card

The SpaceWire PXI Mk2 provides four or twelve SpaceWire interfaces, support for high speed data transfer, the capability to inject various types of errors on demand, the ability to transmit and receive time-codes and act as a time-code master, and comes complete with highly optimised host software for low latency transmission of SpaceWire packets directly to and from the host PC.

The 8HP SpaceWire PXI Mk2 Interface and Interface with RMAP Target cards can take advantage of the trigger connections on the front panel to sequence events in the card such as the transmission of time-codes or data packets. The four general purpose SMB trigger connectors can also be used to indicate events to an external device such as an oscilloscope.

The RMAP Target can connect up to four RMAP targets directly to the SpaceWire ports so the card can act as a remote RMAP target. Each target can be independently controlled and configured by a powerful software API. Up to 1 GB of DDR3 memory is available for RMAP access, and each target can have exclusive access to a configurable memory space or share the space with other targets.

The SpaceWire PXI Mk2 cards are supported by STAR-Dundee’s software stack, STAR-System, providing a consistent programming interface for accessing all STAR-Dundee’s most recent, and future, router and interface devices.

NOTE: The SpaceWire PXI Mk2 supersedes the SpaceWire PXI. The SpaceWire PXI Mk2 boards are functionally equivalent to the original PXI cards but provide a number of enhancements to single point of failure FMECA protection. A full FMECA guide for the PXI Mk2 boards is available on request. If you are an existing user of one of the original SpaceWire PXI products and have any questions, please contact STAR-Dundee.

Product Features

  • Provides a host PC with up to four or twelve SpaceWire interfaces

  • Simple connection to a host controller card through the cPCI or PXI interface

  • Many independent data channels allowing full data transfer on up to four ports on the PXI Interface Mk2 card, and eight ports on the PXI Router Mk2 card

  • Device configuration is supported through an additional control channel

  • RMAP Target option which provides up to four embedded RMAP Targets with access to up to 1 GB of on board DDR3 memory

  • STAR-System software tools for time-code control and scripting of RMAP operations

  • High performance driver maintains high data rates from SpaceWire links directly into main memory of host PC

  • Software and accessories included:

    • Windows drivers (Windows 10, Windows 8 and Windows 7)
    • Linux drivers (5.x, 4.x and 3.x)
    • API with example code and guidance
    • User manuals (including hardware, software, and API)
    • 1 year’s technical support and maintenance
    • QNX, VxWorks and LabVIEW drivers available separately

Technical Specs

  • Part Numbers
    SpaceWire Interface Mk2 4HP318a
    SpaceWire Interface Mk2 8HP318
    SpaceWire Interface Mk2 with RMAP Target 4HP319a
    SpaceWire Interface Mk2 with RMAP Target 8HP319
    SpaceWire Router Mk2320
  • Size

    • Standard 3U PXI board approx 100mm by 160mm

    • Front Panel: 3U or 6U front panel

  • Power

    • +3.3V supplied via cPCI or PXI backplane

  • SpaceWire Ports

    • Compliant to SpaceWire Standard ECSS-E50-12A, ECSS-E-ST-5012C, ECSS-E-ST-50-12C Rev.1 and provides support for RMAP (ECSS-E-ST-50-52C)

    • Number of SpaceWire Ports: 4 or 12

    • Maximum Speed: 400 Mbit/s

    • Connectors: 9-pin micro-miniature D-type

    • Data-Strobe skew tolerance: tested on all units to ±2 ns at data rate of 200 Mbit/s