NASA/TM-2013-217986/REV1

Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap

Avionics Steering Committee

January 2014

September 2014
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NASA/TM-2013-217986/REV1

Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap

Avionics Steering Committee

January 2014

September 2014
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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Executive Summary

The results of the 2014 update of NASA’s Avionics Steering Committee (ASC) Technology Roadmap are 

provided. This is the result of a multi-center effort directed by the ASC to address its stated goal “to 

advance the avionics discipline ahead of program and project needs”. The NASA ASC is chartered out of 

the Office of Chief Engineer (OCE), and represents the Agency’s avionics workforce through its line 

management representatives. The ASC Technology Roadmap is intended to strategically guide avionics 

technology development to effectively meet future NASA missions’ needs. The roadmap addresses only 

flight avionics hardware and did not consider ground-based electronics, flight software, or ground 

software. It is understood that Centers, Directorates, Divisions, Offices, and other organizations may be 

independently engaging in road-mapping efforts with overlap to this ASC effort. Whenever possible we 

have attempted to draw from these other efforts in building this roadmap. The ASC recognizes the 

value of road-mapping at many levels and views these activities as synergistic. 

The ASC Technology Roadmap looks out over 15+ years, with near-term focus on evolving technologies

and a long-term look at technologies that are more revolutionary. This allows for a balanced push-pull 

technology portfolio and Technology Readiness Level (TRL) diversity. The roadmap is subdivided into 

two areas of enabling technologies (Foundational and Component) and four areas of subsystem-level 

technologies (Command and Data Handling, Spaceflight Instrumentation, Communication and Tracking, 

and Human Interfaces). Each of the Avionics subsystem-level technologies sections shows the 

advancement of key technologies to Technology Readiness Level TRL-6, at which point it is considered 

mature enough for infusion into a flight project to enable or enhance NASA Missions. To identify these 

key technologies an “80-percent solution” strategy was used. That is, technologies were identified that 

would meet on the order of 80-percent of defined NASA needs while high-cost technologies with limited 

utility to the broader NASA mission set were avoided. For the 2014 version of this roadmap, the mission 

set included those missions identified in the Global Exploration Roadmap as well as other unmanned 

missions not directly related to Exploration activities.

From the key technologies identified, a subset was selected for near term Agency investments. Factors 

considered in making this selection included readiness of the technology itself, potential for external 

partners to help develop it, and existing/future NASA technology development investments. The ASC’s 

specific recommendations for near-term investments are: 

1. Continue our investments in High Performance Computing, to provide direct dramatic

improvements in flight functions and capabilities across the NASA mission classes, to enable

new flight capabilities and mission scenarios, and to thus increase science and exploration

return, while addressing the unique requirements and architectural features consistent with the

energy efficiency and fault tolerance challenges of beyond-LEO, Earth-observing, and human

spaceflight missions

a. Rad Hard Multicore Processor

b. Rad Hard High Capacity Memories – Volatile and Non

c. Rad Hard High Speed Interconnect – multi mode (copper, fiber, wireless)

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

2. Work in conjunction with the NASA Electronic Packaging Program (NEPP) to provide advanced

packaging technologies to support analog and digital electronics which are tolerant to both

radiation and extreme temperatures (-200 to +200C)

3. Develop RFID/SAW-based wireless instrumentation systems to reduce the weight of spacecraft

cabling infrastructure and increase reliability & accessibility of sensors

4. Conduct early spaceflight environmental testing on new light weight, low power 2D display

technologies in order to influence commercial display manufacturing lines toward greater

suitability for spaceflight

5. Develop a Radiation Tolerant Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) for use as the primary interface

between crew and spacecraft data

6. Develop distributed/reconfigurable controller/sensor modules in spacecraft to reduce weight

and increase reliability while also lowering non-recurring development costs

7. Develop mesh network protocols and standards for use in: space-to-space long-link systems

with extreme propagation delays and outages; surface wireless systems with proximity-based

quality of service and information assurance capabilities; and ad-hoc networking that can

provide reliable end-to-end communications without carefully planned and scheduled link

operations.

8. Develop a C&DH reference architecture which employs advances in Rad Hard High Performance

Computing and Extreme Environment Electronics and deploy it in NASA “flat sats” and a flight

demonstration project

In addition to the 8 investment recommendations above, the ASC has also identified future efforts “to 

advance the avionics discipline ahead of program and project needs”: 

• The ASC should engage with the 2014 Road-mapping teams to monitor and influence their

Avionics-related content.

o Ensure consistency with the ASC Roadmap

o Provide analyses of deviations from the ASC Roadmap

• The ASC should establish a team to develop generic avionics-related use cases for both crewed

and robotic missions and map ASC Roadmap milestones to them

• The ASC should partner with the Software SC and establish a joint working group to ensure

coordination between their technology development efforts.

• NASA should actively monitor Radiation Hardened By Design (RHBD) programs and high density

memory development programs conducted by other organizations with the intent to leverage

their results for future NASA Component Technology development efforts.

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Avionics Steering Committee (ASC) Membership

 Janet L. Barth/GSFC, ASC Chair

 Glenn A. Bever/DFRC, ASC Deputy Chair

 Kuok Y. Ling/ARC

 Timothy J. Ruffner/GRC

 Raphael R. Some/JPL

 Christopher J. Culbert/JSC

 Arnold T. Postell/KSC

 Arthur T. Bradley/LARC

 Kevin S. (Shawn) Wallace/MSFC

 Fernando Figueroa/SSC

ASC Roadmap Contributors

 Raphael Some/JPL, Avionics Technology Roadmap Study Lead

 Monte Goforth/JSC, Executive Summary

 Dr. Yuan Chen/LARC, Foundational Technology Lead

 Raphael Some/JPL, Component Technology Lead

 Wes Powell/GSFC, CD&H Technology Lead

 Paul Paulick/KSC, Instrumentation Technology Lead

 Sharada Vitalpur/JSC, Communications and Tracking Technology Lead

 Deborah Buscher/JSC, Human Interface Technology Lead

 Ray Wade/GRC

 John West/MSFC

 Matt Redifer/DFRC

 Harry Partridge/ARC

 Aaron Sherman/KSC

 Mary McCabe/JSC

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Table of Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1

NASA Missions .............................................................................................................................................. 2

Initial Approach and 2014 Update................................................................................................................ 3

Results and Recommendations..................................................................................................................... 4

Foundational Technologies........................................................................................................................... 6

Radiation Hardening by Design (RHBD).................................................................................................... 7

Radiation Hardened (RH) Extreme Temperature (ET) .............................................................................. 9

Radiation Hardened Memory .................................................................................................................11

Electronic Packaging ...............................................................................................................................14

Nano-Electronics.....................................................................................................................................16

Development Tools................................................................................................................................. 17

Component Technologies...........................................................................................................................18

High Performance Processors.................................................................................................................19

High Performance Memories..................................................................................................................21

Radiation Hardened (RH) Reconfigurable FPGAs for Computing ...........................................................22

Structured ASIC Technologies.................................................................................................................23

Radiation Hardening by Design (RHBD) Network Technologies.............................................................25

Miscellaneous Components....................................................................................................................27

Radiation Hardened (RH) Extreme Temperature (ET) ............................................................................29

Command and Data Handling Technologies...............................................................................................30

Multicore Reference Implementations...................................................................................................32

Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS)-Based Reference Implementations...................................................34

System On a Chip (SOC) Reference Implementations............................................................................36

Extreme Environment Reference Implementations...............................................................................38

Stacked Die Reference Implementations................................................................................................39

Spaceflight Instrumentation Technologies................................................................................................. 40

Pressure Sensors.....................................................................................................................................41

Propulsion Systems / Propellant Type Sensors.......................................................................................42

Wireless Sensors / Systems.....................................................................................................................43

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Multi-Functional Sensors / Systems........................................................................................................44

Attitude Control / Navigation Type Sensors...........................................................................................45

Gas Detection Sensors............................................................................................................................46

Smart Sensors .........................................................................................................................................46

Communication and Tracking Technologies...............................................................................................47

Networking Communications .................................................................................................................48

Radios using Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) or other formats.........................................................................49

Miniature Reconfigurable Communications for Beyond Earth Orbit (BEO) EVA....................................49

Optical Communications for Deep Space ...............................................................................................50

Low Power, High Rate RF for Near Earth Network (NEN) and Deep Space Network (DSN)...................50

Low Voltage / Low Power Transceiver Module Energy Harvesting........................................................51

Spectrum Analysis Tool for Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Deep Space Network (DSN), etc.............................51

C&T Revolutionary Concepts..................................................................................................................52

Human Interface Technologies...................................................................................................................53

Auditory Interfaces ................................................................................................................................. 54

Tactile Interfaces.....................................................................................................................................55

Visual Interfaces......................................................................................................................................56

Multi-Sense Interfaces............................................................................................................................61

Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................64

Acronyms....................................................................................................................................................65

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

List of Figures

Figure 1. Overview Roadmap........................................................................................................... 4

Figure 2: Foundational Technologies – Major Milestones............................................................... 7

Figure 3. Component Technologies – Major Milestones............................................................... 18

Figure 4. Command & Data Handling Technologies – Major Milestones...................................... 31

Figure 5. Spaceflight Instrumentation – Major Milestones.......................................................... 40

Figure 6. Communication and Tracking – Major Milestones......................................................... 47

Figure 7. Human Interfaces – Major Milestones ........................................................................... 53

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Introduction

As part of NASA’s Avionics Steering Committee’s stated goal “to advance the avionics discipline ahead of 

program and project needs,” the committee initiated a multi-Center technology road-mapping activity 

to create a comprehensive avionics roadmap. The roadmap is intended to strategically guide avionics 

technology development to effectively meet future NASA missions’ needs. 

All roadmaps represent a snapshot in time and are expected to evolve over time. This roadmap used 

the best available information from multiple sources to build a strategy for NASA’s Avionics Steering 

Committee (ASC) which represents through its line management representatives the agency’s avionics 

workforce chartered out of the Office of Chief Engineer (OCE). It is understood that Centers, 

Directorates, Divisions, Offices, and other organizations may be independently engaging in roadmapping efforts with overlap to this ASC effort. Whenever possible we have attempted to draw from 

these other efforts in building this roadmap. The ASC recognizes the value of road-mapping at many 

levels and views these activities as synergistic. 

The approach taken by the road-mapping team was to focus on “the 80-percent solution,” i.e., to 

identify technologies for NASA use that would meet on the order of 80-percent of defined NASA needs, 

specifically avoiding high-cost technologies with limited utility to the broader NASA mission set. The 

team also focused on developing a document that would inform, but not proscribe, future NASA 

technology development investments such as common avionics, high-performance space computing, or 

next generation spacecraft interconnect initiatives. 

The scope of the roadmap aligns with the twelve avionics elements defined in the ASC charter, but is 

subdivided into two areas of enabling technologies (Foundational and Component) and four areas of 

subsystem-level technologies (Command and Data Handling, Spaceflight Instrumentation, 

Communication and Tracking, and Human Interfaces). Foundational Technologies comprise low-level 

fabrication and materials technologies (such as Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor [CMOS] 

processes) and devices built on these technologies (such as transistors and Rad Hard By Design (RHBD) 

library elements). Component Technologies are built up from these devices (such as processors and 

memory chips) comprise the next category of technologies. Avionics subsystem-level technologies areas 

are enabled by and built from components. Avionics systems are considered to be mature enough for 

project infusion at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6. Projects can then utilize these systems to build 

capabilities that enable or enhance NASA missions. 

The subsystem categories were those areas identified by the ASC charter as comprising “avionics.” The 

road-mapping team analyzed each of the 14 Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) Technology 

Roadmaps to identify technology needs in each of these areas to support future NASA projects and 

mapped them into these subcategories.

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

The roadmap looks out over a 15+ year period. The near term tends to focus on evolving technologies 

while longer-term technologies tend to be more revolutionary than evolutionary. This long-term view 

allows for a balanced push-pull technology portfolio and development strategy with broad TRL diversity. 

A long-term technology view also requires that the roadmap be revisited periodically as new and 

unforeseen breakthroughs occur, NASA’s missions change, and funding profiles affect technology 

timelines. 

This effort addressed only flight avionics hardware and did not consider ground-based electronics, flight 

software, or ground software. The decision to focus on flight avionics was driven by the following 

considerations:

1. General purpose ground-based electronics such as are used to support general design, 

test, and simulation activities will utilize state-of-the-art commercial-off-the-shelf 

products and there is no reason for NASA to track or invest in it as a technology area.

2. Ground computing that will benefit from utilization of the same electronic/avionics 

equipment that is used for flight systems, e.g., hardware-in-the-loop test beds, should be 

using the flight avionics chosen for the mission or mission set that they are supporting, 

and thus will be driven by the flight avionics that are the subject of this roadmap.

The roadmap takes Avionics Subsystem-Level Technologies to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6. At 

this point, Avionics systems are considered to be mature enough for project infusion. Projects can then 

utilize these systems to build capabilities that enable or enhance NASA missions as discussed below.

NASA Missions

Future NASA missions are the primary driver of avionics technology. As NASA missions move farther 

from Earth and become increasingly more complex, new challenges arise. 

NASA’s short-term strategy is to continue robotic exploration of the Moon, Mars, and NEAs. The Lunar 

Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution

(MAVEN) missions launched in 2013, the Exobiology on Mars mission has a 2016 launch, and the OriginsSpectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer, mission is planning to launch 

an asteroid sample and return mission in 2016. Extremely challenging robotic missions (i.e., Mars 

Sample Return) are also being considered for the long term.

While robotic exploration continues, NASA will develop capabilities in support of human exploration to 

destinations such as the Moon, a NEA, and eventually Mars. Although NASA’s Human Spaceflight

portfolio is evolving, it is clear that reliability and autonomy will be key avionics drivers in any future 

mission set. Long-duration crewed missions as well as space-based observatories and solar system tours 

will require sophisticated reliability and fault tolerance. Furthermore, the communication delays and 

challenging orbital dynamics of NEA and extreme science missions require increased autonomy and onboard decision infrastructure. Traditional solutions to reliability and autonomy increase processing 

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

demands and redundancy which in turn drives system mass and power. Advanced technologies and 

approaches are needed to support these challenging missions.

These missions, characterized by long duration, vast distances, harsh environments, and in some cases 

the human element, require new avionics technologies to be developed to meet mission requirements 

for exploration and safely bring crews back to Earth. In the following sections, we identify the key 

technologies needed to support these missions and the time frames in which they are needed, or are 

expected to be available. Many of these technologies are anticipated to be developed by industry or 

other agencies e.g., Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and need only be monitored to 

track their progress and determine when they can be adopted for insertion into NASA missions. A 

minority of the technologies discussed below will require NASA investment to mature in a way that will 

be of use to NASA. 

In the 2011 version of this roadmap, NASA’s flexible capabilities-based approach was used as reference. 

For this 2014 update, NASA’s contribution to the Global Exploration Roadmap (GER) was used as a 

reference point, along with additional NASA Robotics missions unrelated to the GER. For future 

versions, it is intended to develop a set of Avionics-related Use Cases which are generic to the specific 

Mission set of the time.

Initial Approach and 2014 Update

During the initial development of this roadmap (in 2011) Technology Areas were established by the ASC, 

and each area was assigned a lead. Each Technology Area lead formed a team composed of experienced 

personnel from around the Agency. Each team identified technologies which were both ready and 

needed. The assessment of need was based on the evaluation of the NASA Mission Set at that time. 

The assessment of readiness considered both the technology itself and the potential for external 

partners to help develop it. Technologies were identified that should be closely monitored by NASA, 

and in which investment is recommended in order that NASA’s unique requirements be met. 

Existing/planned NASA technology development investments in the areas of Common Avionics, HighPerformance Space Computing, and Next Generation Spacecraft Interconnects were also considered.

For the 2014 ASC Roadmap Update, new leads assigned to update each section. They were asked to 

review, re-validate and re-prioritize the technology milestones in their respective areas. As the team 

worked through this activity, it was decided to split the Foundational Technologies section into sections 

for both Foundational and Component technologies. This led in turn to a shift of technology milestones 

from the Command and Data Handling section into the Component section, and significant content 

updates to all three. Minor content updates were made to the other technology sections, and an 

attempt was made to show completed technology milestones. Additionally, an effort was made to 

identify dependencies between technology milestones in different areas of the Roadmap.

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Highly visible changes were also made to the document format. These are meant to enhance the 

organization and presentation of the content. These changes include the addition of an Executive 

Summary and a Results and Recommendations section, a restructuring and revision of other 

introductory content, a new graphics format, and the use of a “baseball card” format for all technology 

milestones to ensure consistency throughout.

Finally, it was decided to use NASA’s contribution to the Global Exploration Roadmap (GER) as a 

reference point, along with additional NASA Robotics missions unrelated to the GER. 

Results and Recommendations

The Updated 2014 ASC Roadmap has 122 identified technology milestones, 58 of which are complete or 

targeted for completion within 5 years, with an additional 23 to be completed by 2020. These are 

shown on a timeline in Figure 1. A corresponding timeline is provided for each technology area in the 

following sections.

Misc. Components

RHBD Network Technology

RH Reconfigurable FPGAs

Structured ASIC

High Performance Memories

High Performance Processors

Component 

Technologies

Radiation-Hardened (RH) Extreme Temperature (ET)

Electronic Packaging

RH Memory

Radiation-Hardened (RH) Extreme Temperature (ET)

NanoRHBD electronics Foundational 

Technologies

Multcore

Command & Data 

Handling

Radios using UWB or other formats

Spectrum Analysis tool for LEO, DSN, etc.

Low Voltage/Low Power Transceiver Module Energy Harvesting

Miniature Reconfigurable Comm for BEO EVA

Low Power, High Rate RF for NEN and DSN

Optical Comm

for Deep Space Revolutionary Concepts

Communication 

& Tracking

Networking Communications

Human Interface 

Technology

Auditory Interfaces

Visual Interfaces

Tactile Interfaces Multi-Sense Interface Technologies

Attitude Control / Navigation

Multi-Functional Sensors/Systems Smart Sensors

Wireless Sensors/ Systems

Propulsion/Propellant Spaceflight Pressure Gas Detection

Instrumentation

ASC Technology Roadmap – Overview

10

Lunar Vicinity

Extended Duration

Deep Space & 

Mars System

Lunar Surface

Near Earth Asteroid

Commercial / Government LEO

Robotics Missions LADEE to Discover and Prepare

MAVEN

InSight OSIRIS-REx MARS 2020 MARS Sample Return & Precursors

Humans 

Beyond LEO

ISS Research & Exploration Preparation

From the 

2013 Global 

Exploration 

Roadmap

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030+

ICESAT-2

JWST

Solar Probe+

Development Tools 





Legend

- Milestone Completed

- Targeted Investment

COTS-Based Extreme Environment

SOC Stacked Die

Figure 1. Overview Roadmap

Each technology area also has a prioritized list of recommended investments and other 

recommendations. These are distilled into a set of ASC investment recommendations and other 

recommendations below.

Specific Recommendations for Near-Term Investments

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

1. Continue our investments in High Performance Computing, to provide direct dramatic 

improvements in flight functions and capabilities across the NASA mission classes, to enable 

new flight capabilities and mission scenarios, and to thus increase science and exploration 

return, while addressing the unique requirements and architectural features consistent with the 

energy efficiency and fault tolerance challenges of beyond-LEO, Earth-observing, and human 

spaceflight missions

a. Rad Hard Multicore Processor [Ref C01]

b. Rad Hard High Capacity Memories – Volatile and Non [Ref C04]

c. Rad Hard High Speed Interconnect – multi mode (copper, fiber, wireless) [Ref C08, C09, 

C10]

2. Work in conjunction with the NASA Electronic Packaging Program (NEPP) to provide advanced 

packaging technologies to support analog and digital electronics which are tolerant to both 

radiation and extreme temperatures (-200 to +200C) [Ref F04, F14]

3. Develop RFID/SAW-based wireless instrumentation systems to reduce the weight of spacecraft 

cabling infrastructure and increase reliability & accessibility of sensors [Ref I06]

4. Conduct early spaceflight environmental testing on new light weight, low power 2D display 

technologies in order to influence commercial display manufacturing lines toward greater 

suitability for spaceflight [Ref H08, H25]

5. Develop a Radiation Tolerant Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) for use as the primary interface 

between crew and spacecraft data [Ref C13]

6. Develop distributed/reconfigurable controller/sensor modules in spacecraft to reduce weight 

and increase reliability while also lowering non-recurring development costs [Ref I08]

7. Develop mesh network protocols and standards for use in: space-to-space long-link systems 

with extreme propagation delays and outages; surface wireless systems with proximity-based 

quality of service and information assurance capabilities; and ad-hoc networking that can 

provide reliable end-to-end communications without carefully planned and scheduled link 

operations. [Ref CT01, CT02, CT03, CT04, CT05]

8. Develop a C&DH reference architecture which employs advances in Rad Hard High Performance 

Computing and Extreme Environment Electronics and deploy it in NASA “flat sats” and a flight 

demonstration project [Ref CD01, CD04]

Other Recommendations for future efforts

• The ASC should engage with the 2014 Road-mapping teams to monitor and influence their 

Avionics-related content.

• Ensure consistency with the ASC Roadmap

• Provide analyses of deviations from the ASC Roadmap

• The ASC should establish a team to develop generic avionics-related use cases for both crewed 

and robotic missions and map ASC Roadmap milestones to them

• The ASC should partner with the Software SC and establish a joint working group to ensure 

coordination between their technology development efforts.

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

• NASA should actively monitor Radiation Hardened By Design (RHBD) programs and high density 

memory development programs conducted by other organizations with the intent to leverage 

their results for future NASA Component Technology development efforts.

Detailed recommendations from each technology area are captured in the remaining sections of the 

document.

Foundational Technologies

Foundational technologies comprise the fundamental fabrication processes and materials systems used 

to implement hardware avionics components. Primarily, we are concerned with radiation hardened and 

extreme temperature capable semiconductor technologies, and with high density and extreme 

temperature capable microelectronics packaging technologies. We will not attempt to roadmap 

commercial technologies; these roadmaps are readily available from industry associations, e.g. the 

Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). Instead, this section focuses specifically on those 

technologies that are uniquely of interest to space based avionics. As will be seen in the following 

paragraphs, modern commercial semiconductor technologies can provide sufficient radiation and 

temperature tolerance to minimize, or in some cases eliminate, the need for custom radiation hardened 

technologies if appropriate design guidelines are used. The recent spate of Radiation Hardened By 

Design (RHBD) technologies are actually custom circuit element libraries, formulated with strict 

adherence to specific guidelines that are meant to be fabricated with commercial semiconductor 

processes. Similarly, advanced packaging technologies for space avionics are based on their commercial 

equivalents but with specific design and usage guidelines tailored to the space environment.

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Foundational Technologies – Major Milestones

1111

Nano-electronics

RadiationHardening by 

Design (RHBD)

RadiationHardened (RH) 

Extreme 

Temperature (ET)

RH Memory

Electronic 

Packaging

F02 RHBD SOI Library for digital ASICs 

available on IBM 32-nm SOI line

F03 RHBD SOI RHBD library for digital ASICs 

available on BAE 45-nm SOI Line

F04 SOI CMOS 

RH ET Library 

F05 130-nm SiGe

RH ET analog 

circuit library 

F06 SiC RH ET mixed 

signal electronics

F07 GaN RH ET RF electronics for high temperature applications

F08 Vacuum nano-technology

F09 High density RH SRAM &DRAM

F10 130-nm RH FeRAM Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) technology

F11 High density Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) 

Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) technology

F12 High density Phase-Change RAM 

(PCRAM) flash memory

F13 Resistive NVM technology

F14 Advanced electronics 

packaging

F15 TSV technology 

for space F16 Carbon nanotube-based 

electronics

F17 Semiconductor nanowire-based electronics

F18 Graphene-based Terahertz (THz) transistor 

technology 

F19 Graphene-based high-speed 

circuits and electronics

F01RHBD bulk CMOS Library for ASICs available on a QML IBM 90-nm CMOS line

Lunar Vicinity

Extended Duration

Deep Space & 

Mars System

Lunar Surface

Near Earth Asteroid

Commercial / Government LEO

Robotics Missions LADEE to Discover and Prepare

MAVEN

InSight OSIRIS-REx MARS 2020 MARS Sample Return & Precursors

Humans 

Beyond LEO

ISS Research & Exploration Preparation

From the 

2013 Global 

Exploration 

Roadmap

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030+

ICESAT-2

JWST

Solar Probe+

Development 

Tools F22 Advanced Digital Design Tools

F20 Advanced Printed 

Wiring Boards F21

Thermal 

Management 

Systems

F23 Advanced RHBD FinFET Library available on IBM 14-nm line

F26 Extreme Temperature 

Capable TSV Technology 

F24 32-nm SOI CMOS RH ET Library

F25 90-nm SiGe RH ET analog mixed signal Library

Figure 2: Foundational Technologies – Major Milestones

Radiation Hardening by Design (RHBD)

F01: RHBD bulk CMOS Library for digital Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) available on 

a QML IBM 90-nm CMOS line

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2013

Benefit: Provides radiation hard ASICs using commercially available advanced 

bulk CMOS process technology.

Description: A Boeing-developed RHBD 90-nm bulk CMOS standard cell library was originally funded by 

the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency 

(DARPA). The library provides the capability to develop radiation-hardened digital ASICs on a commercial 

semiconductor fabrication line. Aeroflex has qualified the 90nm RHBD standard cell library in 2013 and a 

QML-certified line for 90nm RHBD ASICs is being implemented with multiple product assurance levels 

available, such as QML Q and V, military and industrial, radiation hardened from 100krads(Si) to 

1Mrads(Si). This roadmap item was completed in 2013.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

F02: RHBD Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) Library for digital ASICs available on IBM 32-nm SOI CMOS line 

F03: RHBD SOI RHBD library for digital ASICs available on BAE 45-nm SOI CMOS Line

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2015

2015

Benefit: Provides radiation hard ASICs using commercially available advanced 

SOI CMOS process technology.

Description: DTRA has also initiated a follow on 32-nm RBHD program utilizing the IBM 32nm SOI CMOS 

process with a target completion date of 2015. 

Similar efforts are ongoing at other companies, with BAE taking the lead, under NRO funding, in the 

development of a 45-nm RHBD library built on the IBM 45-nm SOI CMOS line with a target completion 

date of 2015. 

NASA should monitor these programs. NASA does not need to invest in these RHBD semiconductor 

technologies, though additional funding could be used to accelerate development schedules, to 

influence the types of cells to be developed, the testing to be performed, and the selection and fidelity 

of the development vehicles to be designed/validated. However, NASA can use these standard cell 

libraries and associated tools to develop ASICs and standard products at reduced costs, compared to 

previous approaches.

Dependencies: None

F23: Advanced RHBD FinFET library available on IBM 14-nm CMOS Line

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2020

Benefit: Provides radiation hardness ASICs using commercially available 

advanced FinFET process and technology.

Description: Advanced non-classical CMOS such as multiple gate MOSFET including FinFET transistor 

structure is predicted to be cornerstone of the sub-20nm technologies. Program focusing on the 

development of the RHBD library on the FinFET technology can be expected and estimated to be 

available in 2020 time frame.

NASA should monitor these programs. NASA does not need to invest in these RHBD semiconductor 

technologies, though additional funding could be used to accelerate development schedules, to 

influence the types of cells to be developed, the testing to be performed, and the selection and fidelity 

of the development vehicles to be designed/validated. However, NASA can use these standard cell 

libraries and associated tools to develop ASICs and standard products at reduced costs, compared to 

previous approaches.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Radiation Hardened (RH) Extreme Temperature (ET)

F04: Digital and analog SOI CMOS RH ET Library for extreme high and low temperature applications

F24: 32-nm SOI CMOS RH ET Library for extreme high and low temperature application

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2015

2018

Benefit: The development of extreme temperature capable, radiation 

hardened electronics would obviate the need for thermal management 

systems in many future spacecraft, with a potential savings in spacecraft 

power and mass while providing greatly enhanced flexibility in spacecraft 

configuration and design.

Description: Digital ASICs, with possible extension in some environments to mixed-signal ASICs, based on 

SOI CMOS and RHBD libraries, have the potential to operate beyond the military standard temperature 

range of -55°C to 125°C, as well as to provide radiation hardness. CMOS and SOI CMOS have been 

demonstrated to generally work well at low temperatures with faster speed and lower leakage current, 

and SOI CMOS has been demonstrated to work at well over 200°C, but work is required to determine 

operational characteristics over the wider temperature ranges and to develop design rules, tools, and 

possibly circuit library modifications to enable wider temperature operation and reliability. This will 

require NASA to work with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to invest and utilize the 

capabilities, while leveraging the RHBD standard cell libraries and associated tool sets for radiation 

hardness only NASA requires. 

Dependencies: None

F05: 130-nm SiGe RH ET analog circuit library for extreme low temperature applications

F25: 90-nm SiGe RH ET analog circuit library for extreme low temperature applications

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2016

2018

Benefit: Enables electronics for extreme low and wide temperature range 

applications, obviating the need for thermal management systems in many 

future spacecraft, with a potential savings in spacecraft power and mass while 

providing greatly enhanced flexibility in spacecraft configuration and design.

Description: 0.5um SiGe extreme temperature radiation-hardened analog ASICs exhibiting radiation 

hardness to 300 kilorads (krad) and capable of operation over a temperature range of at least -140°C to 

125°C have been demonstrated for motor control systems capable of operating for long lifetimes in the 

Mars environment (-135°C to 85°C). With limited life expectancy of the IBM 0.5um semiconductor fab 

line, a next-generation SiGe extreme temperature RH technology in 130 and 90 nm would provide 

additional capability, reduced power, and long-term availability of the technology. A recommended 

target date for completion of a 130-nm and 90-nm SiGe RH ET technology is 2016 and 2018, 

respectively, to support a broad range of future missions including Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA), 

primitive bodies, and future Mars missions.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

F06: Silicon carbide (SiC) RH ET mixed signal electronics for high temperature application

F07: Gallium nitride (GaN) RH ET radio frequency electronics for high temperature applications

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2017, 

2020

Benefit: Enables electronics for extreme high temperature applications and 

provides potential mass savings for power conversion.

Description: SiC and GaN have been demonstrated as potential technologies for RH high temperature, 

low integration-density applications beyond 300°C. There have been many process and reliability 

improvements as well as design enhancements in these technologies during the past years that position 

them as the most promising candidates for both high power conversion applications such as solar 

electric power and high temperature applications such as in situ mission to Venus. NASA investment is 

required to enhance radiation hardness for SiC technology. Currently, the limitation of the SiC and GaN 

technologies is that the number of transistors per chip is limited to approximately 100, and thus, the 

technologies are being used for power converters, digital small scale integration (SSI) and simple analog 

functions. Additional NASA investment is necessary if increased integration density is to be developed to 

enable complex more complex electronics. A recommended target date for these technologies is 2017 to 

2020 time frame to be available for future planetary and asteroid missions.

Dependencies: None

F08: Vacuum nano-technology

Priority:

Low. Low 

TRL

Target 

Date:

2023

Benefit: Provides rad-hard electronics for extreme high temperature 

applications.

Description: A new class of vacuum nanoelectronics components demonstrated recently are both 

radiation insensitive and extremely high temperature tolerant (>700°C) making them suitable for 

extreme environment applications. These devices use nanotubes or nanowires integrated with 

microstructures and together with nanoelectronics should be available for extreme environment 

electronics applications between 2020 and 2025.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Radiation Hardened Memory

F09: High density RH Static (SRAM) and Dynamic RAM (DRAM) technologies

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2019

Benefit: Provides rad hard high density memory.

Description: One-time-programmable Programmable Read-Only Memories and Metal-Nitride-OxideSilicon electrically Erasable PROMs have been used in space applications since the 1990s. Today, RH 

high-density memories utilizing more advanced memory technologies are needed for space systems to 

provide improved power utilization at orders of magnitude increase in density (which translates to mass, 

volume, and complexity reduction). 

SRAM is typically not radiation hardened device unless special designs and processes are implemented. 

Currently, rad-tolerant SRAMs are available from BAE and Honeywell. DRAM is also sensitive to both TID 

and SEE. System architecture needs to be designed to minimize effects of Single Event Functional 

Interrupts (SEFI), multi-bit errors, etc., while ECC and memory scrubbing need to be used to minimize 

effects of Single Event Upsets (SEU), stuck bits and other soft errors to improve DRAM’s reliability. With 

Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), Double Date Rate (DDR), DDR2, DDR3 technologies, space-avionics 

designs are beginning to use the new DRAM technologies which requires comprehensive and yet quick 

evaluations of the technologies especially from the radiation perspectives.

As for non-volatile memory technologies, FeRAM, MRAM, PCRAM, and Resistive RAM, provide improved 

density and power utilization with improved radiation tolerance. These memory cell technologies will, 

however, still require RH CMOS control logic, which can be provided by RHBD technologies with minimal 

impact to overall component power or density. Currently, radiation hardened CMOS SRAM, SONOS and 

PCRAM are available as volatile and non-volatile memory options up to 16-Mb per die. 

AFRL is planning a multi-year program to develop such memory technologies and associated memory 

components starting in 2014. NASA should monitor this program and consider co-developing some of 

these technologies in order that NASA unique requirements are met, e.g., extreme temperature 

capability, power management and fault tolerance. 

If NASA invests in RH ET technologies as recommended previously, then there will be a strong desire for 

ET memory technologies as well. This is an extremely challenging requirement and will require 

significant NASA investment as the most dominant and straightforward memory technology for future 

missions is likely to be Embedded DRAM (e-DRAM), which is not capable, at the present time, of 

exhibiting extreme temperature tolerance. This is an area where NASA investment can yield high return 

on investment.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

F10: 130-nm Ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM) Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) technology

Priority:

Medium Density is 

relatively low.

Target 

Date:

2018

Benefit: Provides rad hard non-volatile memory.

Description: Non-volatile memory devices have traditionally relied on floating gate technology. Floating 

gate flash memory technology has been dominating the non-volatile memory market for the past 25 

years. There are a number of emerging technologies based on new materials and/or storage concepts. 

Ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM) is a random access memory using ferroelectric material as its storage cell or 

capacitor. The charges in DRAM capacitor discharge when power is off, while the ferroelectric material 

maintains polarity even without power, and thus DRAM is volatile memory and FeRAM is NVM. The 

density is relatively low currently at 4Mb per die. The current technology is 130-nm.

The Ferroelectric thin films comprising the memory elements are inherently resistant to ionizing 

radiation, but its control circuitry may not be. The level of radiation hardness of FeRAM depends on the 

CMOS processes and designs utilized for the control circuitry other than the FeRAM cell itself. Using 

RHBD approaches, a rad-hard FeRAM was demonstrated up to 1Mrad and SEL tolerance to greater than 

75 LET in and a rad-tolerant stackable FeRAM was also demonstrated. 

Dependencies: None

F11: 65-nm Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) technology

Priority:

Medium Density is 

relatively low.

Target 

Date:

2014

Benefit: Provides rad hard non-volatile memory.

Description: Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM) has been under development since the 

1990s. The current mainstream MRAM is so called Spin-Transfer Torque (STT) MRAM, as it applies spinaligned ("polarized") electrons to directly torque the domains by using a thin layer of MgO for the 

Magnetic Tunneling Junction (MTJ). Similar to FeRAM, radiation hardness of MRAM can be achieved by 

the use of RHBD for its control circuitry. The density is relatively low at 1Mb to 16Mb per die depending 

on radiation hardness level. The current technology node is 65-nm.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

F12: 32-nm Phase-Change RAM (PCRAM) flash memory

Priority:

Medium Density is 

relatively low.

Target 

Date:

2014

Benefit: Provides rad hard non-volatile memory.

Description: Phase-change RAM (PRAM) exploits the unique behavior of chalcogenide glass. With the 

application of heat produced by the passage of an electric current, this material can be "switched" 

between two states, an ordered, crystalline phase having lower electrical resistance and a disordered, 

amorphous phase with much higher electrical resistance. PCMs are available from a number of 

manufacturers. There is a family of the rad-hard PCM type memory modules called C-RAM 

(Chalcogenide-base RAM) available from BAE Systems, which is designed specifically for the radiation 

environments encountered in spacecraft applications. The density is relatively low currently at 4Mb to 

512Mb per die depending on radiation hardness level. The current technology node is 32-nm.

Dependencies: None

F13: Resistive NVM technology

Priority:

Medium. 

Low TRL.

Target 

Date:

2020

Benefit: Potentially provides rad hard, high density non-volatile memory.

Description: Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) bears some similarities to PCM, but explore a 

different side of the materials. Instead of using a heat source to change the phase of the materials, a 

sufficiently high voltage/current is applied to a dielectric layer to create a conduction path. The 

conduction path formation can arise from different mechanisms, and different forms of RRAM have 

been disclosed, based on different dielectric materials. The RRAM technologies are at relatively low 

technology readiness level and will require investment to mature them into reliable and manufacturable 

technologies.

Dependencies: None

Page 

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Electronic Packaging

F14: Advanced electronics packaging

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2015

Benefit: Potential 10x improvement in mass, volume and power of spacecraft 

avionics, potential 2x or greater improvement in system reliability due to 

reduction of interconnect elements.

Description: There are several advanced packaging technologies that would improve mass, volume, and 

power of spacecraft avionics. Candidate technologies include: stacked chips/packages/modules, high 

density interconnect, and chip-on-board technologies. Guidelines and design rules for use in space 

environments, as well as qualification requirements and procedures, need to be developed for a 

minimal but optimum subset of available commercial packaging technologies. Once this is done, 

qualification of this optimal subset can proceed. This is not a traditional technology investment, but an 

adaptation and qualification of existing commercial/military technologies, and should be coordinated 

with programs such as the NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging Program (NEPP). Recommended target 

date is 2015 to support Mars 2020, Europa, and future science and exploration missions, all of which will 

benefit from the volume and mass reduction of these advanced packaging technologies.

Dependencies: None

F15: Through Silicon Via (TSV) chip stack technology for space qualification and applications

F26: Extreme Temperature (ET) capable TSV technology for space qualification and applications

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2016

2020

Benefit: Potentially 50x improvement in mass, volume and power of 

spacecraft avionics, potential 10x improvement in system reliability due to 

reduction of interconnect elements and improved thermal management.

Description: TSV chip stacks allow direct stacking of silicon chips with metalized vias placed anywhere 

throughout the chip. This basic technology, developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

(MIT) Lincoln Laboratory, is currently available from several commercial vendors. It provides the ability

to develop a series of stackable integrated circuits that can be mixed and matched as necessary to 

provide required capability. The advantage here is that due to extremely short distances and low 

capacitance of interconnect, the stack essentially operates as a single chip with all the power and speed 

advantages inherent in monolithic systems. Additionally, due to elimination of single chip packaging and 

interconnect, volume and mass are reduced and reliability increased. The technology is being developed 

for commercial use, but NASA use requires extension of the technology to extreme temperatures and 

across multiple semiconductor processes, e.g., SOI CMOS and SiGe. Recommended target date is 2016 

for TSV and 2020 for ET TSV to support future missions including EVA and small/micro-satellites for all 

exploration and science missions.

The current ‘sweet spot’ in chip stacking technology is the 2.5D stack. Unlike 3D stacking, in which 5 or 6 

layer silicon die are stacked, 2.5D stacks a single layer of chips onto a silicon interposer using TSV 

interconnects. The advantage of 2.5D stacks is that multiple small (low cost/high yield) die can be 

Page 

14
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

packaged with extremely low inter-die impedance and thus many of the advantages of a single 

monolithic die, but at significantly lower cost and higher yield. Another advantage of 2.5D packaging is 

the ability to combine die from dissimilar materials and processes, e.g., SiGe and SOI CMOS, into a 

single, quasi-monolithic structure. 2.5D utilizing TSV interconnects on as Si substrate is seen as the 

logical next step to full 3D stacked electronics and may be a sweet spot for future NASA avionics 

systems. 

Dependencies: None

F20: Advanced Printed Wiring Boards

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2017

Benefit: Advanced printed wiring board design and fabrication techniques are 

necessary to enable future high performance computing systems, both with 

their high-pin count packages and fast switching speeds.

Description: With increased clock frequencies and miniaturization, some challenges are present to 

existing packaging approaches. Complex devices such as FPGAs and processors are moving to larger 

packages with large pin counts. These devices drive the printed wiring board designs to increased layer 

count and thickness, as well as decreased pitch between pins. Both of these can significantly increase 

the difficulty of producing highly reliable printed wiring boards. Compounding this is the need to place 

discrete components very close to the device pins for the purpose of signal conditioning. To address 

these problems, advances will be needed in printed wiring board layout and fabrication techniques for 

spaceflight applications. Specifically, broader use of embedded passive within printed wiring boards 

would be advantageous.

Dependencies: None

F21: Thermal Management Systems

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2020

Benefit: Active thermal management can allow increased power density that 

may be inherent in some future onboard processing systems.

Description: With higher performance devices and increased miniaturization, thermal management at 

the box, board, and device level will be an increasing challenge. To address this, active thermal 

management technology that can be efficiently and cost effectively integrated into these assemblies is 

needed for the most challenging applications. To be truly effective, active thermal management must 

be straightforward to integrate with electronics assemblies. It must also be sufficiently reliable such 

that it will not significantly degrade overall system reliability.

Dependencies: None

Page 

15
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Nano-Electronics

F16: Carbon nanotube-based electronics 

Priority:

Medium. 

Low TRL 

for 

avionics

Target 

Date:

2020

Benefit: Offers extraordinary material choice to develop flexible, transparent 

and inherent radiation-hardened electronics that potentially can shrink the 

entire avionics and system electronics volume by an order of magnitude.

Description: Nano-electronic technology, including carbon nanotube, semiconductor nanowire and 

graphene-based electronic technologies, are promising candidates to sustain the relentless progress in 

scaling for electronic devices. Carbon nanotube-based transistor technology has been realized as singleelectron carbon nanotube transistors at room temperature and ballistic carbon nanotube field-effect 

transistors. However, carbon nanotube-based transistors have not yet been demonstrated the capability 

of integrating into logic-gate circuits with densities comparable to CMOS technology, due to the lack of 

technology for mass production. 

Dependencies: None

F17: Semiconductor nanowire-based electronics

Priority:

Medium. 

Low TRL 

for 

avionics

Target 

Date:

2025

Benefit: Offers extraordinary material choice to develop flexible, transparent 

and inherent radiation-hardened electronics that potentially can shrink the 

entire avionics and system electronics volume by an order of magnitude.

Description: Nanowire-based electronics is still at a very low technology readiness level. However, they 

may complement or replace carbon nanotube-based electronics in some applications for the next 

generation of computing devices. For example, a NAND logic gate with undoped silicon nanowires was 

demonstrated in 2012. 

Dependencies: None

F18: Graphene-based Terahertz (THz) transistor technology 

F19: Graphene-based high-speed circuits and electronics 

Priority:

Medium. Low 

TRL for 

avionics

Target Date:

2025, 2029

Benefit: Offers extraordinary material choice to develop flexible, 

transparent and inherent radiation-hardened electronics that 

potentially can shrink the entire avionics and system electronics volume 

by an order of magnitude.

Page 

16
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Description: With nanowire and nanotube field-effect transistors, as well as graphene-based 300GHz 

transistors having been demonstrated, the nanotechnology roadmap projects THz transistor technology 

by 2020, and graphene-based high-speed circuits and electronics by 2028. Nanowire, nanotube and/or 

graphene-based ASICs are projected to replace silicon-based electronics in future electronic systems and 

can be applied in most applications, such as digital, photonics, analog, and mixed-signal. 

Fundamentally, these nano-technologies offer higher levels of integration and lower power through 

smaller transistors and higher electron mobility than is achievable in silicon-based technologies. They 

also offer inherent radiation hardness and robustness to environmental stresses. Graphene is a monolayer or one-atom-thick sheet of carbon. It offers high electron mobility and radiation hardness at 

extremely small feature size and thus low power. Transistor-equivalent structures have been built using 

stacked (mono) layers of graphene and separating dielectrics, but deposition and patterning methods 

suitable for large-scale manufacturing have not yet been developed. Carbone nanotube and 

semiconductor nanowire technologies promise extremely high conductivity wiring both on-chip and off, 

but suitable mass manufacturing technologies have not yet been developed. Investment by NASA will be 

required to tailor these technologies and devices to NASA’s unique requirements, but as these 

technologies are not yet at TRL3, it is not clear what investments will be required to meet NASA needs. 

Dependencies: None

Development Tools

F22: Advanced Digital Design Tools

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2018

Benefit: Advanced digital design tools will enable complex systems to be 

implemented quickly and cost effectively, while at the same time having the 

fault tolerance to operate reliably in the space environment.

Description: As technology scales to smaller fabrication processes, higher clock speeds, and greater 

miniaturization, design tools will need to adapt. While the commercial industry will provide much of this 

adaptation, some specific tools are of particular interest for NASA applications. In the realm of digital 

design, tools for logic simulation, synthesis, and place-route will need to accommodate larger designs, 

newer FPGA devices, structured ASIC platforms, and newer standard cell ASIC libraries. Key to NASA 

applications, these tools will need to incorporate single event mitigation and advanced fault tolerance 

techniques, especially as the required techniques will likely grow in complexity and device feature sizes 

are reduced. To reduce development costs, there is a need for tools allowing digital designs to be 

specified at a higher level of abstraction (as compared to current hardware design languages), but still 

develop highly efficient and reliable hardware.

Dependencies: None

Page 

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Component Technologies

Component technologies constitute the electronic parts utilized in building avionics subsystems. 

While it is often the case that the foundational technologies discussed in the previous section are 

utilized in fabricating these components, this is not always true. Commercial components are often 

flown in spacecraft avionics systems for a variety of reasons, including: unavailability of equivalent 

components built from radiation hard technologies, acceptability of reliability levels of commercial 

components in the application environment, ability to adapt the system/mission to accommodate 

commercial component performance and reliability levels. There is, however a significant cost 

incurred when using commercial components in space system: cost of up-screening, reduction in 

system performance and reliability, mass penalty for radiation and thermal accommodation. In this 

section, we focus on critical components that either are or could be fabricated using the 

technologies discussed in the foundational technologies section. 

Component Technologies – Major Milestones

12 12

High Performance 

Memories

Structured ASIC 

Technologies

Misc. Components

High Performance 

Processors

RH Reconfigurable 

FPGAs for 

Computing

RHBD Network 

Technology

C01 RHBD multicore processor

C02 Quad core PPC based processor

C03 Quad Leon4FT processor

C04 High performance memory

C07 RH structured ASIC

C08 90-nm CMOS RHBD network interface and switch components 

C09 45-nm SOI RHBD network interface and switch components

C10 RH fiber optic transceivers for >3-Gb/s data process and transmit 

C11 Point of Load Converters

C13 Rad-Hard Graphics Processing Unit

C05RH FPGAs for reconfigurable computing

Lunar Vicinity

Extended Duration

Deep Space & 

Mars System

Lunar Surface

Near Earth Asteroid

Commercial / Government LEO

Robotics Missions LADEE to Discover and Prepare

MAVEN

InSight OSIRIS-REx MARS 2020 MARS Sample Return & Precursors

Humans 

Beyond LEO

ISS Research & Exploration Preparation

From the 

2013 Global 

Exploration 

Roadmap

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030+

ICESAT-2

JWST

Solar Probe+

Radiation 

Hardened (RH) 

Extreme 

Temperature (ET) C15 Extreme Temperature and Radiation Tolerant components

C14 Miniaturized Connectors

C16 Advanced RH structured ASIC

C17 Rad Hard high performance memory stacks

C18 Avionics custom SOC ASIC

C19 Advanced network components

C20 Advanced Stackable Extreme Temperature components

C21 Advanced Stackable RHBD Multicore processor

C22 Advanced Stackable avionics

custom SOC ASIC

Figure 3. Component Technologies – Major Milestones

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18
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

High Performance Processors

C01: RHBD multicore processor

Priority:

High

Target Date:

2016

Benefit: Enhanced performance over the existing selection of Rad Hard 

space processors enabling more autonomous operations and science 

processing onboard.

Description: The NRO OPERA program, utilizing the 90nm RHBD foundational technology, developed a 49 

core processor based on the commercially available Tilera Tile64 processor. The Maestro processor 

contains 49 general purpose processor cores, four high speed Double Data Rate (DDR) 2 memory ports, 

four 10 Gigabits Per Second (Gb/s) XAUI Input/Output (I/O) ports as well as Gigabit Ethernet and GPIO 

ports and is similar to a cluster computer architecture on a single chip. While this processor has been 

incorporated into several board-level products for evaluation and software development, it is not 

applicable, in general, to NASA missions due to a lack of power management and fault tolerance 

capabilities. It does, however, serve as a proof of principle, illustrating that a high performance 

processor chip can be developed at reasonable cost and provides a pathfinder for development of future 

high performance processors suitable for space-based system. 

A second-generation machine in either 90-nm CMOS RHBD, or in 32-nm SOI CMOS RHBD, based on the 

Maestro architecture and compatible with the Maestro software suite, would support a broad range of 

NASA missions and be relatively easily inserted into future missions. Depending on technology selection 

and levels of power management and fault tolerance included, it could be available at TRL6 in the 2013-

15 time frame. Such a machine would be greatly enhancing, if not be enabling, for Mars Sample Return, 

Asteroid/Comet Sample Return, NEA, and human and human-robotic precursor missions. It is unclear at 

this time if NRO will go forward with such a development activity, but if NRO elects to develop such a 

machine, NASA should consider teaming with NRO in this development in order to ensure that NASA 

unique requirements, e.g., power management and fault tolerance, are provided.

A joint NASA-AFRL funded effort to define an optimal processor architecture for future NASA missions is 

currently under way. The NGSP/HPSC project, if successful, will be followed by a processor development 

project that will culminate in a high performance multicore processor suitable for both USAF and NASA 

missions in the 2017 time frame. If NRO goes forward with a next generation Maesto processor, and if 

suitable accommodation can be made for USAF and NASA requirements, then the two projects may be 

combined. If the NRO does not go forward with a next generation Maestro, then the current NGSP/HPSC 

investment should be continued. 

The advent of RHBD technology opens the door for many organizations to develop advanced processors 

and similarly complex digital components at much reduced costs compared to previous technologies.

Dependencies: F02, F03, F14

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

C02: Quad core PPC based processor

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2015

Benefit: Leverages on the existing RAD750 allowing for reuse of knowledge and 

code developed for the RAD750 while providing higher performance.

Description: NRO is also funding a four core PPC based processor development at BAE, utilizing BAE’s 

45nm SOI CMOS RHBD process. While this processor provides as significant advance over the current 

single core RAD750, it is does not have sufficient throughput for the most demanding NASA applications 

and has minimal power management and fault tolerance capability. It also requires more power than is 

anticipated to be required for a more capable multicore processor in 32nm SOICMOS. NASA should 

monitor this development, but investment is not recommended at this time.

BAE is also developing a SIMD streaming data co-processor utilizing the 90nm CMOS RHBD technology. 

This processor is expected to be used in conjunction with the four core PPC processor described above. 

The combination of the two processors, with required memory and ancillary components is expected to 

require75 to 100W, however, which puts it out of the range of most NASA programs. Investment is not 

recommended.

Dependencies: F03

C03: Quad Leon4FT processor

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2015

Benefit: The four processors along with supporting components, such as 

spacewire, will be on a single ASIC allowing for a powerful platform in a small 

package and using low power.

Description: Aeroflex corp plans to develop a four-core LEON4 Fault Tolerant processor utilizing the 

90nm CMOS RHBD technology acquired from Boeing. The LEON4 will utilize a 64 bit data bus and will 

provide a substantially faster platform on a single System on a Chip than a RAD750 board. No 

investment from NASA is required. 

Dependencies: F01

C21: Advanced Stackable RHBD Multicore Processor

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2024

Benefit: Order of magnitude improvement in performance, and 

performance/watt with 3-5x reduction in size.

Description: Utilizing advances in semiconductor and packaging foundational technologies, this is a next 

generation version of C01 in 14nm FinFET utilizing TSV technology for stackability.

Dependencies: F23, F14, F15

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

High Performance Memories

C04: High performance memory (2017)

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2017

Benefit: High performance memory will enable high performance computing as 

well as other subsystems.

Description: There is a long-standing need for radiation hardened, high capacity, low power, high speed, 

volatile/nonvolatile memories. To date there has been no solution to this need other than the use of 

commercial components with the concomitant risks, costs and compromises engendered thereby. As in 

processor component technology, NASA has unique needs in this area that will most likely require NASA 

investment in order to fulfill. As mentioned in the Foundational Technologies section, AFRL plans to start 

a rad hard memory program in 2014 with the intention of developing several different types of memory 

to meet the broad range of subsystem needs. In order to ensure that NASA-unique power management 

and fault tolerance capabilities are capabilities are provided, NASA should invest in a partnership with 

AFRL in this program. 

Dependencies: None

C17: Rad Hard High Performance Memory Stacks

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2020

Benefit: Memory stacks increase density, reduce power/mass/volume and 

improve performance of memory systems and will be required for practical 

future applications of both high performance computing and SOC based 

avionics systems.

Description: Development of TSVs and chip stacking technology applied to memory allows many 

variations of stacked systems from individual memory stacks to memory embedded in heterogeneous 

stacked systems to memory array chips stacked with memory controller chips. In all cases the stacking 

of die provides significant performance, power, mass, volume benefits at moderate chip-level cost 

increases with significant system level cost reduction.

Dependencies: F04, F15

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Radiation Hardened (RH) Reconfigurable FPGAs for Computing

C05: RH FPGAs for reconfigurable computing

Priority:

High

Target Date:

2013

Benefit: Reconfigurable FPGAs allow for changes to the HW design in 

flight, for multiple configurations depending on the mission phase, and 

the ability to correct errors at a much lower cost than burn once 

FPGAs.

Description: Radiation-hardened and extreme temperature-capable FGPAs for use in avionics systems, 

both as single function implementation vehicles and as core elements in reconfigurable computing are 

required to meet the processing throughput, flexibility, fault tolerance, and power-to-performance 

levels desired for future NASA spacecraft. These components can be developed by utilizing RHBD 

libraries and processes from several sources. 

Radiation-hardened devices, fault-tolerant architectures, reusable cores, development tools and 

practices, and validation and integration standards are needed for reconfigurable computing for space 

system applications. These deficiencies translate to technology gaps in the reconfigurable computing 

development path from the FPGA-based reconfigurable machines of today to more general morphwarebased machines of tomorrow. In overcoming these gaps, technology developments in fault tolerance, 

system-on-chip architectures, design-time tools and reconfigurable hardware run-time systems, and reusability via integration standards and system modularity are required. 

In addition to standard FPGA architectures, higher level reconfigurable architectures are highly desirable 

as they provide the ability to work at higher levels of integration at reduced power for a given level of 

performance. Instead of working at the virtual gate or look-up table level, these devices work at the 

compute-element level, allowing higher power efficiency and simplified design. As with FPGAs, they 

need to be implemented in 90-nm and below RHBD technologies.

Given the high cost of developing FPGAs (the Xilinx QV5 SIRF cost upwards of $30M and was never fully 

rad hardened), and the difficulty of engaging commercial companies to rad harden their products, it is 

recommended that NASA monitor and encourage companies already providing rad tolerant FPGAs to 

continue advancing their product line and specifically to engage AFRL and Xilinx in discussions aimed at 

upgrading the QV5. In addition to radiation hardening, it would also be useful, in an upgraded part, to 

improve temperature tolerance 

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Structured ASIC Technologies

C07: RH structured ASIC

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2016

Benefit: A structured ASIC is an intermediate technology between ASIC and 

FPGA, offering high performance and low cost. Using a Structured ASIC allows 

projects to develop designs quickly and at lower costs than with a typical ASIC 

design

Description: RH structured ASICs are becoming available today. These components can survive extreme 

environments, provide quick turn around, and be procured at relatively low cost for digital and mixedsignal ASICs (they may not be as radiation hardened or as extreme temperature capable as SOI or SiGe 

RHBD ASICs, but they are significantly lower cost, faster turnaround, and suitable for a broad range of 

missions). With additional investment by NASA, development of additional configurations of structured 

ASICs, as well as additional extreme temperature characterization of these devices can be provided by 

the companies currently developing these components. This technology is included in the 2014 SBIR call 

and is expected to mature a digital and mixed signal structured ASIC component within 2-3 years

Dependencies: None

C16: Advanced Rad Hard Structured ASIC

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2020

Benefit: A structured ASIC is an intermediate technology between ASIC and 

FPGA, offering high performance and low cost. Using a Structured ASIC allows 

projects to develop designs quickly and at lower costs than with a typical ASIC 

design. This is an advanced version of C07 providing order of magnitude 

increase in capability at similar SWaPC

Description: RH structured ASICs are becoming available today. These components can survive extreme 

environments, provide quick turn around, and be procured at relatively low cost for digital and mixedsignal ASICs (they may not be as radiation hardened or as extreme temperature capable as SOI or SiGe 

RHBD ASICs, but they are significantly lower cost, faster turnaround, and suitable for a broad range of 

missions). With additional investment by NASA, development of additional configurations of structured 

ASICs, as well as additional extreme temperature characterization of these devices can be provided by 

the companies currently developing these components. This technology is included in the 2014 SBIR call 

and is expected to mature a digital and mixed signal structured ASIC component within 2-3 years. This is 

an advanced version that will provide enhanced capability for future s/c and could likewise be included 

in an SBIR call.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

C18: Avionics Custom SOC ASIC

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2021

Benefit: Custom ASIC implementing a complete avionics system on a chip will 

provide an extremely small, low cost, medium performance, avionics system for 

small spacecraft as well as the basis for a new class of distributed avionics 

systems.

Description: A single ASIC, based on 32nm RHBD/RHET libraries, comprising all required elements of a 

small avionics system, stackable with memory, and with the ability to de-power unneeded functions, 

will provide the basis for both small spacecraft avionics systems as well as distributed avionics systems 

for larger spacecraft, rovers, landers, and other platforms. In addition to providing the basis for a 

distributed system, it also enables a new class of extremely low cost, high performance fault tolerance 

through massive inclusion of available “cold spared” subsystems.

Dependencies: F02, F24, F14, F15

C22: Advanced Stackable Avionics Custom SOC ASIC

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2026

Benefit: Order of magnitude improvement in performance, and 

performance/watt with 3x reduction in size for small/medium performance 

avionics systems.

Description: Utilizing advances in semiconductor and packaging foundational technologies, this is a next 

generation version of C01 in 14nm FinFET utilizing TSV technology for stackability.

Dependencies: F23, F14, F15

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Radiation Hardening by Design (RHBD) Network Technologies

C08: 90-nm CMOS RHBD network interface and switch components 

C09: 45-nm SOI RHBD network interface and switch components 

C10: RH fiber optic transceivers for >3-Gb/s data process and transmit 

Priority:

High

Target Date:

2016, 2016, 

2015

Benefit: Higher performance network technology will allow for 

distributed systems, for high performance computing, and better 

science being collected. They also enable highly capable crewed 

vehicles and habitats.

Description: Future NASA space missions will require extremely high bandwidth spacecraft interconnect 

systems. The venerable 1 Megabit Per Second (Mb/s) 1553 is being superseded by 250-Mb/s SpaceWire 

and, in the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), by the upcoming 1-Gb/s 

Time-Triggered Gigabit Ethernet (TTGbE) standard. Next generation missions, however, with multigigabit instruments, onboard science, and autonomy processing, will require multi-gigabit interconnect 

bandwidth as well as real-time determinism, fault tolerance, power/bandwidth scalability, and seamless 

interoperability between copper, fiber optic, and wireless physical (phy) media layers. Host data 

transmission modes including broadcast/multicast/point-to-point, and synchronous/asynchronous will 

also be required. Several standards for space systems are likely to emerge, including time-triggered 10-

gigabit ethernet, a space version of Serial Rapid I/O, and Space Fiber (aka SpaceWire-2). The Next 

Generation Spacecraft Interconnect System (NGSIS) committee is developing one such standard with 

participation from NASA, the Air Force Research Laboratory, Space and Missile Command, the National 

Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the Naval Research Laboratory, the American Institute of Aeronautics and 

Astronautics, VITA, Lockheed Martin Aerospace Corp., Boeing Corp., British Aviation Electronics, 

Honeywell Corp., and others. Network interfaces, routers, switches, and endpoints supporting these 

protocols, as well as Serializer/Dererializers and phy-layer transceivers are expected to be forthcoming 

from space avionics and component vendors, most likely implemented in 90-nm and below RHBD 

technologies. There is a concern that, as in the past, offerings from multiple vendors will not be 

interoperable. The NGSIS is attempting to ensure interoperability by virtue of a tight specification and 

validation criteria that guarantee interoperability, but NASA will need to invest resources to ensure that 

these standards meet unique NASA requirements as well as to ensure both interoperability and ease of 

use of component offerings. NGSIS V1.0 is expected to be ratified in early 2014 – due to a desire to 

maintain close compatibility with COTS Rapid I/O, this version is not expected to have all of the desired 

features that NASA would like for HEOMD and SMD mission, but will provide a basis for future versions 

that will be more closely aimed at NASA’s unique needs. A version 2.0 of the NGSIS spec should be 

targeted for 2016

Copper interconnect at these speeds is relatively well understood, but difficult to achieve in radiation 

hardened and extreme temperature capable versions with the desired isolation, fault tolerance, and 

power management features that are available in fiber optic. Fiber optic implementations, however, do 

not provide extreme radiation and temperature tolerance, while copper wire implementations are not 

well suited to longer transmission distances and do not offer good isolation at high frequency. 

Radiation hardened fiber optic phy-layer technology is progressing to the point where it is a viable 

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

alternative to copper in many spacecraft systems. Radiation tolerance of 100 krad has been achieved 

with data rates of >3 Gb/s over hundreds of meters in extremely small packages with easy assembly, and 

good tolerance of temperature, vibration, and shock. In addition to reducing power and providing 

electromagnetic interference-free operation and electrical isolation, this phy-layer medium can provide 

transparent and seamless chip-to-chip, board-to-board, and box-to-box interconnect. NASA investment 

is required to meet NASA’s unique requirements (radiation, shock, vibration, temperature, long life, high 

reliability). The recommended target date is 2014 to support future high data rate science instruments 

and exploration missions. This need is being addressed via an SBIR expected deliver rad tolerant 10Gb/s 

fiber optics in 2014.

Wireless interconnect phy-layer is not being addressed. Wireless interconnect offers a host of 

advantages in NASA missions, eliminating the mass, power, and unreliability of cables and connectors, 

providing ease of integration and test, and allowing simpler reconfiguration, sparing, fault tolerance, and 

retrofitting of systems. NASA support will be required to develop a wireless standard compatible with 

the advanced protocol(s) currently under development and interoperable with wire and fiber optic based 

systems. This technology should be targeted at the generation after next of HEOMD and SMD spacecraft, 

i.e., approx. 2022.

Dependencies: C08 & C09 - F01, F02, F03, F04; C10 - None

C19: Advanced Network Components

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2023

Benefit: Will provide extremely high bandwidth, real time capable, highly 

reliable, low power interconnect for future space systems. 

Description: A stackable chip set or chip set comprising network interface, switching/routing, fault 

tolerance and power management functions providing on the order of 10Gb/s per lane, 40Gb/s per 

channel. This is planned as a next generation upgrade to C09, C10.

Dependencies: F23, C09, C10, F14, F15

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Miscellaneous Components

C11: Point of Load Converters

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2015

Benefit: More efficient power converters will reduce loss in the system and 

allow us to use smaller solar panels and be lighter weight while reducing 

thermal loads.

Description: Point of Load Converters provide regulated and filtered power to the local electronics, 

typically at board level. They are the interface between the power subsystem and the avionics 

subsystem. Due in part to technology issues, but also to component lead times and design practices, 

currently available converters, as implemented in NASA spacecraft tend to be extremely inefficient, 

dissipating as much as half their power as heat, large and bulky, as well as unreliable and costly. High 

efficiency, radiation hardened point of load converters with high efficiency, low mass and volume and 

high long term efficiency are needed for future spacecraft avionics. In addition, an intelligent converter 

that can monitor its load for fault conditions and report its status to the spacecraft computer would be 

quite valuable. Currently, no such converts are known to exist. NASA should invest in this component 

technology. 

Dependencies: None

C13: Rad-Hard Graphics Processing Unit

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2018

Benefit: A Rad Hard Graphics Processing Unit is required to support HEOMD 

crewed missions incorporating large complex displays. 

Description: There currently exist two distinct types of GPUs. The original GPU designs provided 

accelerated graphics rendering for displays, as indicated by their name –these are relatively simple, low 

power, medium complexity devices and are readily available in industry. Over the past few years, 

researchers have found that the underlying architecture of these graphics processing units can be 

exploited to provide extremely high speed computation of certain types of algorithms. These new GPUS 

have become extremely large, complex, power intensive and expensive.

The devices addressed here are of the former type - simple, relatively low cost, low power graphic 

rendering units for use in crewed vehicle displays. 

Dependencies: F01, F02, F03

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

C14: Miniaturized Connectors

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2017

Benefit: Highly reliably miniaturized connectors with improved impedance 

matching are essential to implementing future miniaturized C&DH and 

processing systems.

Description: Connectors have historically been a weak link in system reliability, where a misconnection 

on a single pin can have catastrophic effects. Many commercial connectors incorporate mechanical 

designs that do not have the inherent robustness for high reliability systems operating in harsh 

environments. Increased signal frequencies of emerging onboard networks will require improved 

impedance matching, while still maintaining reliability. For small C&DH systems, the size of the 

connectors can often be the pacing element that determines the degree of miniaturization that can be 

achieved. Here, miniaturized (yet reliable) connectors with high pin counts are needed.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Radiation Hardened (RH) Extreme Temperature (ET)

C15: Extreme Temperature and Radiation Tolerant Components

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2020

Benefit: Space qualifiable, extreme temperature (-200 to +200C) tolerant 

electronics will dramatically reduce spacecraft thermal management 

requirements and enable deep space small spacecraft missions, enhance EVA 

and habitat reliability and capabilities

Description: Approximately 20% of spacecraft mass and power is devoted to thermal management. 

Future small sat missions will not have the mass or power budget to implement thermal management 

systems. SOICMOS, SiGe, and other emerging technologies can provide analog, digital and mixed signal 

electronic components capable of long life, high performance, and low power that are able to tolerate 

these extreme temperature regimes. New packaging technologies such as chip on board, TSVs and 

advanced PWB technologies can provide long life under extreme temperature and thermal cycle 

conditions. These emerging technologies provide the opportunity to greatly minimize the thermal 

management requirements on future missions, allowing reduction in mass, power, cost 

unreliability/vulnerability, while greatly enhancing mission/spacecraft design flexibility and option 

space. Proof of principle devices have been fabricated and tested showing viability of the underlying 

fundamental technology. NASA should invest in developing an avionics component set for small 

spacecraft, EVA suits, spacecraft external electronics, and in-situ instruments. Specific components in 

this suite will include: 1)Cold Remote Engineering Unit – a two chip set capable of tolerating extreme 

cold and serving as an interface/data concentrator node for spacecraft external sensors such as 

temperature and strain gauges 2)Cold Microcontroller – a microcontroller suitable for use as a 

spacecraft-external instrument and subsystem control 3) Hot analog chip containing amplifiers, current 

and voltage references/sources and switches/multiplexer capable of operation to 300C, 4) Hot 

Microsequencer capable of operation to 300C.

Dependencies: F04, F05, F06

C20: Advanced Stackable Extreme Temperature Components

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2022

Benefit: Extremely low power, mass, volume avionics component suite capable 

of operation at extreme temperature as well as radiation levels. This is a next 

generation advance to C15.

Description: Utilizing advances in semiconductor and packaging foundational technologies, this 

component suite provides a stackable suite of components at the next generation semiconductor nodes 

(90nm SiGe, 32nm SOICMOS, 14nm FinFet). These components will be capable of operation from -200C 

to +200C and at least 300krad. Specific Components will include: 1) Processor – a multicore processor 

suitable for small to medium size spacecraft/missions, 2) medium density, low power volatile and 

nonvolatile memories, 3) multi-voltage output point of load converter, 3) mixed signal ADC/DAC and 

analog I/O. Additional components for use in extremely high temperature operation (up to 300C) will 

include 4) mixed signal ADC/DAC and analog I/O, 5) microcontroller

Dependencies: F06, F07, F24, F26

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Command and Data Handling Technologies

The command and data handling (C&DH) system serves as the onboard intelligence for a spacecraft. 

Typical C&DH functions include command decoding and distribution, stored command execution, 

telemetry collection formatting and downlink, subsystem control (attitude control system, power 

system, etc.), and detection and handling of onboard fault conditions. The C&DH system may also 

perform instrument data processing, although that function is often performed within the 

instrument itself. C&DH systems span a wide range of size, mass, and performance. For large 

missions, the C&DH system may be implemented in a number of enclosures (each containing 

multiple boards) interconnected via a high-speed onboard network. Smaller missions may 

implement the entire C&DH function on a single board, while future miniaturized spacecraft will 

implement the C&DH function on a single System-On-a-Chip (SOC). Still further in the future, 3D 

integrated packages using TSVs may implement C&DH systems with an even greater degree of 

miniaturization.

Several architectural considerations and options influence the implementation of a C&DH system. 

Perhaps the most prominent architectural choice is the degree to which C&DH is centralized or 

distributed. Options range from implementing the entire C&DH function within a single enclosure, 

to implementing it in a small number of enclosures, to migrating processing into many of the 

subsystems and instruments. Choices will ultimately influence mass, power, reliability, and ease of 

integration. However, the optimal selection is very much dependent on mission needs.

Another architectural choice is the pedigree of the components used to implement the C&DH 

function. On one end of the spectrum, the system can be implemented with spaceflight qualified 

components which offer higher reliability and radiation tolerance, but often at the cost of reduced 

performance and higher cost and lead time. On the other end of the spectrum, COTS parts can be 

used. This option may offer increased performance and reduced lead times, but at the cost of 

questionable reliability and radiation tolerance. Some existing and emerging C&DH systems 

employ COTS components, but “manage” them with qualified components. Examples include the 

SpaceCube, the CHREC Space Processor (CSP), and Proton series of single board computers from 

SpaceMicro. It should be noted however, that these architectures incur a cost of increased 

complexity in order to manage the COTS components.

Another key architectural option is the type of processor to be used. While the C&DH function 

typically requires a general purpose processor (GPP), there may be specific functions for which a 

digital signal processor (DSP) may be optimal. Discrete components are available for both GPPs 

and DSPs, although there can be limitations on interoperability between specific selections of these 

processors. Another option can be to implement either or both of these processing functions within 

an FPGA. Here, soft-core processors and peripheral logic can be instantiated within the fabric, and 

DSP functions can be implemented directly in FPGA logic resources. There are limitations in softcore processor performance, and implementing DSP functions in FPGA logic can be a labor 

intensive task. 

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

To reduce C&DH system cost, development schedule, and risk, interoperability of various C&DH 

elements is highly advantageous. Achieving this at the box level necessitates standard onboard 

network interfaces, allowing boxes from different developers to be efficiently integrated. Standard 

network interfaces such as SpaceWire, and TT-Gig-E exist, but improved performance is needed for 

future C&DH systems. Additionally, standard board-level interfaces (both mechanical and 

electrical) can allow boxes to be implemented with board level products from different developers. 

The same principles for interoperability exist at the chip level, where standard on-chip interconnect 

busses can enable IP cores from various developers to be seamlessly integrated. 

As a higher level system, the C&DH is implemented with the components and foundational 

technologies described in previous sections of this roadmap. The C&DH requires software to 

perform its functions, and hence the roadmap described here must be consistent Agency plans for

Software technology development.

Command & Data Handling Technologies – Major Milestones

13 13

Multicore 

Reference 

Implementations

CD01 High Performance Multicore C&DH

CD02 Moderate Performance Multicore C&DH

CD03 COTS-Based Instrument Processor

CD04 Radiation Hardened System On a Chip (SOC)

CD05 Extreme Environment C&DH

Lunar Vicinity

Extended Duration

Deep Space & 

Mars System

Lunar Surface

Near Earth Asteroid

Commercial / Government LEO

Robotics Missions LADEE to Discover and Prepare

MAVEN

InSight OSIRIS-REx MARS 2020 MARS Sample Return & Precursors

Humans 

Beyond LEO

ISS Research & Exploration Preparation

From the 

2013 Global 

Exploration 

Roadmap

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030+

ICESAT-2

JWST

Solar Probe+

CD06 Advanced High Performance Multicore C&DH

CD07 Advanced COTS-Based C&DH 

CD08 Advanced Rad Hard SOC-Based C&DH

CD09 Light Weight C&DH

CD10 Advanced Extreme Environment C&DH

COTS-Based 

Reference 

Implementations

SOC Reference 

Implementations

Extreme 

Environment 

Reference 

Implementations

Stacked Die 

Reference 

Implementations

Figure 4. Command & Data Handling Technologies – Major Milestones

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Multicore Reference Implementations

CD01: High Performance Multicore C&DH

Priority:

High

Target Date:

2018

Benefit: A multicore based C&DH subsystem will enable high performance 

onboard processing applications including autonomous landing systems and 

high data rate instruments. The inherent flexibility of a multicore processor 

will allow this subsystem to be applied to a broad range of mission 

applications.

Description: Future large missions with requirements for high performance onboard computing will 

benefit from C&DH subsystems based on radiation hardened multicore processors, with 16 or more 

general purpose processor cores. Typical missions would include; (a) explorer-class to flagship robotic 

spacecraft, (b) large surface rovers, and (c) crewed spacecraft. C&DH systems for these missions, likely 

implemented as box (or multiple box) solutions, central to which would be a board with a multi-core 

processor, memory (with suitable radiation tolerance, performance, and capacity), and network 

interfaces capable of handling both high-rate instrument data and low-rate control traffic. To 

accommodate varying computing demands of specific applications, it would be advantageous for the 

C&DH system to be expandable to accommodate multiple processor devices, and to also accommodate 

a reconfigurable FPGA or DSP coprocessor. The high-performance multicore C&DH should have 

sufficient fault isolation and containment to allow both non-mission-critical sensor processing and 

mission-critical spacecraft processing to be performed within a single processor device. 

For human-safety-critical applications in crewed missions, an even greater degree of fault isolation and 

containment will be required. This may require the C&DH to allow redundancy and voting at the 

processor device or board level.

Dependencies: C01, C04, C09, C10, C11, CD06

Processor 

Implementation

“Manycore” General Purpose Processor (16+ Cores)

Performance 24 GOPS, 10 GFLOPS (without coprocessor device)

Memory 16-32 Gb DDR3/4, NV-RAM

Interfaces Multiple 10Gbps Network Interfaces, TBD Low-Rate Legacy Interfaces

Power ~ 15W

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

CD02: Moderate Performance Multicore C&DH

Priority:

Medium

Target Date:

2015

Benefit: This type of C&DH subsystem will provide performance beyond the 

current state with power dissipation reduced to the extent that it could be 

used for smaller missions.

Description: Smaller missions in the future with more modest requirements for onboard computing will 

benefit from C&DH subsystems based on radiation hardened multicore processors with reduced power 

and improved performance (with respect to the current state of the art). Typical missions would 

include; (a) SmallSat to small-explorer class robotic spacecraft, (b) small surface rovers, and (c) 

spaceflight instruments. C&DH systems for these missions, implemented either as a board or a box, 

could be based on a processor with more modest performance and fewer cores. Alternatively, this 

C&DH could be implemented with a manycore processor with only a few cores utilized (to reduce power 

consumption).

Dependencies: C02, C03, C11

Processor 

Implementation

Multicore General Purpose Processor (4+ Cores)

Performance 5 GOPS, 2 GFLOPS (without coprocessor device)

Memory 4-8 Gb DDR3/4, NV-RAM

Interfaces Multiple 10Gbps Network Interfaces, TBD Low-Rate Legacy Interfaces

Power ~ 5W

CD06: Advanced High Performance Multicore C&DH

Priority:

Medium

Target Date:

2025

Benefit: As requirements for onboard autonomy processing and instrument 

data processing increase for future missions, an advanced high performance 

multicore based C&DH subsystem will provide the necessary processing 

capability. The inherent flexibility of a multicore processor will allow this 

subsystem to be applied to a broad range of mission applications.

Description: To meet future onboard processing needs, the advanced high performance multicore C&DH 

will leverage processor devices with increased number and performance of processing cores, memory 

devices with increased capacity and performance, and onboard networks with higher throughput. This 

represents the next generation beyond the C&DH capabilities described in CD1, but retains the emphasis 

on fault tolerance and power management. However, the methodologies to attain fault tolerance and 

power management will be adapted to accommodate newer integrate circuit designs and processes.

Dependencies: C17,C19,C21

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS)-Based Reference Implementations

CD03: COTS-Based Instrument Processor

Priority:

Medium

Target Date:

2015

Benefit: This C&DH offers the ability to leverage the improved performance 

of emerging COTS devices for a subset of applications that can tolerate an 

increased upset rate. 

Description: Applications exist that may utilize a C&DH subsystem which utilizes COTS devices with 

reduced levels of reliability pedigree and radiation tolerance. These applications include some cubesat 

and smallsat missions that can accept a higher level of mission risk. Additionally, these subsystems may

also have use as onboard computers for some science instruments where transient faults are not 

mission critical. These systems can employ commercial devices with higher performance than radiation 

tolerant devices, but at the cost of including hardened circuitry to “manage” unhardened commercial 

devices. To implement these C&DH systems, there is a continuing need to characterize the radiation 

performance and upset characteristics of emerging processor devices (frequently reprogrammable 

FPGAs), and then design and test board level solutions that include hardware and software to mitigate 

upsets in those devices. Efficient application development tools are also needed. 

Dependencies: C05, CD06

Processor 

Implementation

COTS FPGA (Xilinx Virtex-7 or Equivalent)

Performance 2 GOPS (Embedded Processor), 50+ GOPS (Logic Fabric)

Memory 16-32 Gb DDR3/4, SRAM, NV-RAM

Interfaces Multiple 10Gbps Network Interfaces, TBD Low-Rate Legacy Interfaces

Power ~ 15W

CD07: Advanced COTS-Based Instrument Processor

Priority:

Medium

Target Date:

2020

Benefit: As COTS computing devices evolve to provide higher 

performance and more advanced features, an advanced COTSbased C&DH offers the ability to leverage these devices for a 

subset of applications that can tolerate an increased upset rate. 

Description: Applications exist that may utilize a C&DH subsystem which utilizes COTS devices with 

reduced levels of reliability pedigree and radiation tolerance. These applications include some cubesat 

and smallsat missions that can accept a higher level of mission risk. Additionally, these subsystems may 

also have use as onboard computers for some science instruments where transient faults are not 

mission critical. These systems can employ commercial devices with higher performance than radiation 

tolerant devices, but at the cost of including hardened circuitry to “manage” unhardened commercial 

devices. As is the case with C&DH system outlined in CD3, there is a continuing need to characterize the 

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

radiation performance and upset characteristics of future processor devices via ground based radiation 

testing. Only with this testing can board level solutions be developed that include hardware and 

software to mitigate upsets in those devices. As a follow on to CD3, this C&DH subsystem will utilize 

future generations of COTS devices.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

System On a Chip (SOC) Reference Implementations

CD04: Radiation Hardened System On a Chip (SOC) Based C&DH

Priority:

High

Target Date:

2019

Benefit: A hardened SOC would be broadly applicable across smaller mission 

classes that require high reliability, miniaturization, and reduced power. 

Additionally, this could be a valuable building block for distributed C&DH 

systems. 

Description: For SmallSat missions and instruments requiring improved reliability and mission life 

(beyond existing COTS approaches), C&DH systems implemented with radiation hardened SOC solutions 

is an ideal approach. Additionally, these devices can enable distributed C&DH systems for many classes 

of missions, which can increase performance, contain faults to a subsystem, and lower power by turning 

on processors only as needed. Miniaturization and reduced power dissipation are provided by the SOC 

architecture, and implementation on a radiation hardened platform provides the reliability suitable for 

longer missions and potentially harsh environments. Future radiation hardened FPGAs, structured 

ASICs, or standard cell ASICs are viable an implementation platforms for these devices. While some 

minimalist C&DH subsystems may be implemented with only the SOC device itself, an architecture must 

be developed where higher level SOC-based C&DH subsystems can be developed that incorporate 

external devices such as data converters, larger memory devices, and physical-level drivers for onboard 

networks.

Dependencies: C07

Processor 

Implementation

SOC Implemented in Radiation Hardened FPGA or Structured ASIC

Performance 200 MIPS

Memory 512Mb - 1Gb SRAM, NV-RAM

Interfaces Medium Rate Network Interface, TBD Low-Rate Legacy Interfaces

Power ~ 1W

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36
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

CD08: Advanced Radiation Hardened System On a Chip (SOC)

Priority:

Medium

Target Date:

2021

Benefit: A hardened SOC would be broadly applicable across 

smaller mission classes that require high reliability, 

miniaturization, and reduced power. Additionally, this could be a 

valuable building block for distributed C&DH systems. 

Description: As advanced structured ASICs, FPGAs, and standard cell ASICs are developed with increasing 

clock speeds and capacity, advanced radiation hardened SOCs can implement C&DH systems with 

expanded functionality and performance for “lightweight” applications such as smallsats, miniaturized 

instruments and subsystems. With respect to CD4, CD8 will implement a broader and more complete 

set of C&DH functions onto a single device. However, even with the increased SOC functionality, an 

architecture is needed where higher level SOC-based C&DH subsystems can be developed that 

incorporate external devices such as data converters, larger memory devices, and physical-level drivers 

for onboard networks.

Dependencies: C16

Page 

37
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Extreme Environment Reference Implementations

CD05: Extreme Environment C&DH Subsystems

Priority:

Medium

Target Date:

2021

Benefit: C&DH subsystems with modest performance that can 

operate in extreme radiation and thermal environments can 

enable missions to be deployed to destinations previously 

deemed inaccessible. Furthermore, on more typical missions 

these extreme environment systems can significantly reduce or 

eliminate the resources required for thermal management.

Description: Two variants of extreme environment C&DH subsystems are planned, one for each 

temperature extreme. For extreme cold, a subsystem based the remote engineering unit and 

microcontroller identified in C15 would be developed. Such a subsystem would be consistent with 

requirements for operation at outer planets, or on permanently shadowed regions of the lunar surface. 

For the hot extreme, a subsystem based on the hot analog chip and microsequencer would be 

developed. Such a subsystem would be consistent with requirements for operation on the surface of 

Venus. Beyond the devices specified in C15, the subsystems here would include the packaging, 

interconnect, and any ancillary components required to implement a complete C&DH.

Dependencies: C15

CD10: Advanced Extreme Environment C&DH Subsystems

Priority:

Medium

Target Date:

2024

Benefit: Advanced C&DH subsystems with modest performance 

that can operate in high radiation and extreme thermal 

environments (hot AND cold) can enable missions to be deployed 

to destinations previously deemed inaccessible. Furthermore, on 

more typical missions these extreme environment systems can 

significantly reduce or eliminate the resources required for 

thermal management. 

Description: Beyond the capabilities of the C&DH subsystems specified in CD6, this subsystem provides 

the capability to operate at both extreme hot and extreme cold. These environments can be expected 

on the lunar surface and on surfaces of NEOs. Beyond the stacked extreme environment devices 

specified in C20, the subsystems here would include the packaging, interconnect, and any ancillary 

components required to implement a complete C&DH.

Dependencies: C20

Page 

38
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Stacked Die Reference Implementations

CD09: Light Weight C&DH Subsystem

Priority:

Low

Target 

Date:

2027

Benefit: Implemented with 3D integrated circuits, a light weight C&DH 

subsystem with modest performance can be implemented in a single 

package. These miniaturized C&DH systems can be used for very small 

spacecraft, and miniaturized data processing systems for instruments and 

subsystems.

Description: Future C&DH subsystems will be implemented with 3D integrated packages using through 

silicon vias (TSVs) to achieve improved miniaturization, power efficiency, and performance. With this 

technology, systems can be implemented by stacking individual die or wafers and interconnecting them 

with TSVs. To enable NASA C&DH systems to be implemented with this technology, there is a need for 

architectures that allow die from different developers and different fabrication processes to be 

integrated into a single assembly. For example, a processor could be implemented in one process, while 

memory, and network interfaces could be implemented on different die in the stack and fabricated with 

entirely different processes. Additionally, there is a need for methodologies to ensure the reliability and 

testability of the individual die, the TSVs, and the integrated 3D packages. To enable the development 

of 3D ICs, advanced mixed-mode modeling and simulation tools will be needed to allow device level 

simulation. These tools would provide an integrated environment capable of co-simulation of complex 

systems comprised of analog, digital, and in some cases RF circuitry. Additionally, advanced thermal 

management systems, miniaturized connectors, and printed wiring board technologies would be 

needed to implement this subsystem technology.

Dependencies: C22

Page 

39
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Spaceflight Instrumentation Technologies

Spaceflight instrumentation refers to the sensors and systems used to measure environments or 

behaviors of spaceflight systems, subsystems, or components. An instrumentation system is composed 

of multiple distributed elements, modules, or components that function together to process sensor 

measurements. A sensor is generally a single device used for making measurements, or a highly 

miniature set of components able to make ‘smart’ measurements. A ‘smart’ measurement results from 

the basic sensor reading being manipulated (e.g., adjusting the reading based upon a calibration curve 

or taking multiple measurements and synthesizing them into a single data point). Smart sensors also 

need to be adaptable to their environment and include self-test, self-calibration and self-diagnosis 

capabilities.

Spaceflight Instrumentation – Major Milestones

14 14

Pressure Sensors

Propulsion Sys/ 

Propellant Type 

Sensors

Gas Detection 

Sensors

Attitude Control / 

Navigation Type 

Sensors

I14

I09

Smart Sensors I15

I08

Wireless Sensors/ 

Systems

Multi-Functional 

Sensors/Systems

I01 Miniaturized space-qualified pressure sensors for wide temperature range measurements

I02 Multi-channel cryogenic pressure sensor for high vibration and shock environments 

I03 Diamond MEMS pressure sensor 

I04 Optical fluid sensing in microgravity

Molecular/trace gas detection sensors I13 Portable photo-acoustic 

system for planetary 

exploration

I06

Radio Frequency (RF) Id (RFID)/

Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) 

wireless instrumentation system I07 Wireless Acquisition Systems

Spacecraft Integrated System Health Management (ISHM)/

Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM)

Distributed/reconfigurable sensor modules in spacecraft

I10 Smallsat attitude determination/control instruments

I12 Autonomous landing instrumentation

I11 Docking instrumentation

Autonomous lab on a chip 

I05 Cryogenic video cameras

Lunar Vicinity

Extended Duration

Deep Space & 

Mars System

Lunar Surface

Near Earth Asteroid

Commercial / Government LEO

Robotics Missions LADEE to Discover and Prepare

MAVEN

InSight OSIRIS-REx MARS 2020 MARS Sample Return & Precursors

Humans 

Beyond LEO

ISS Research & Exploration Preparation

From the 

2013 Global 

Exploration 

Roadmap

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030+

ICESAT-2

JWST

Solar Probe+

Figure 5. Spaceflight Instrumentation – Major Milestones

Page 

40
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Pressure Sensors

I01: Miniaturized space-qualified pressure sensors for wide temperature range measurements

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2017

Benefit: Sensors increase system reliability over a range of harsh conditions. 

Description: Silicon-On-Insulator MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) pressure sensors are highly 

radiation tolerant and can measure real-time pressure at high temperatures and in harsh environments. 

Transducers can be packaged for a wide range of temperature (-250F to +350F).

Dependencies: F14

I02: Multi-channel cryogenic pressure sensor for high vibration and shock environments 

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2016

Benefit: Sensors increase system reliability over a wide range of conditions. 

Description: Designs using miniature piezo-resistive silicon pressure sensors to measure cryogenic fluid 

pressure accurately to within 0.25-percent full scale should be developed. Applications include launch 

vehicle cryo fuel tanks and engines, cryogenic wind-tunnels, industrial cooling, and cryogenic gas 

production. 

Dependencies: None

Page 

41
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Propulsion Systems / Propellant Type Sensors

I03: Diamond MEMS pressure sensor 

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2017

Benefit: The Diamond MEMS pressure sensor provides simpler measurement 

approaches in extreme environments. The improved measurement accuracy 

leads to reduced margin requirements, and eliminates the need for redundant 

sensors on longer duration missions. 

Description: Diamond MEMS pressure sensors are designed for extreme environments due to diamond’s 

high elastic modulus and inertness. Current approaches to hydrazine measurements require isolation of 

the pressure sensor from the hydrazine environment, reducing accuracy of the measurement and 

producing a potential failure point. These failure points are realized regularly on longer duration 

missions and often require additional sensors be flown as a back-up. 

Dependencies: None

I04: Optical fluid sensing in microgravity 

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2019

Benefit: Optical based sensor designs are chemically/thermally passive to their 

environment and immune to electromagnetic interference.

Description: Development of optical based sensor designs using laser excitation and interferometry 

techniques to determine fluid depth or flow or fluid volume when dominated by the forces of surface 

tension and viscosity rather than gravity. Applications include measuring fluid supply line flow rates and 

storage tank fluid volumes in a microgravity environment.

Dependencies: None

I05: Development of cryogenic video cameras

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2022

Benefit: Being able to accurately gauge propellant tanks in low-gravity by the 

spacecraft or by mission control increases the chances for a successful mission.

Description: Developments in sensing of cryopropellants in microgravity and under impulse are needed 

for in-space propulsion systems for characterization of liquid level, slosh, and flow. Currently, video 

imaging is done through conventional cameras looking through windows which can present fracture 

problems. Alternative approaches to immerse the imager into the fluids present problems of both 

thermal control and assurance that the imager hardware does not contaminate the fluids. 

Dependencies: None

Page 

42
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Wireless Sensors / Systems

I06: Radio Frequency (RF) Identification (RFID)/Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) wireless 

instrumentation system

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2015

Benefit: Potential weight reduction of the spacecraft cabling infrastructure, 

increase reliability and accessibility of sensors. 

Description: Technology based on SAW development at the device level and with the interrogator RF 

system should be developed. A SAW-based instrumentation system helps to reduce instrumentation 

design complexity and avionics mass while reducing power requirements through passive sensing. 

Potential SAW based applications include low level hydrogen gas sensing for leak detection, liquid level 

and humidity sensing, and monitoring strain and pressure measurements.

Dependencies: CT14

I07: Wireless Acquisition Systems

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2021

Benefit: Standardization of wireless communication formats will help simplify 

solutions for integrated data acquisition systems.

Description: Development of wireless data acquisition systems which can integrate with each other is a 

desired technology. Various wireless acquisition systems exist in industry, but they use proprietary 

communication formats which makes integration difficult. A communication standard for sharing 

telemetry can allow partial wireless solutions to integrate with traditional wired acquisition system 

solutions.

Dependencies: CT01, CT03, CT04

Page 

43
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Multi-Functional Sensors / Systems

I08: Distributed/reconfigurable sensor modules in spacecraft 

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2017

Benefit: Reduce weight and increase reliability of avionics systems by using 

generic sensor modules, while lowering non-recurring engineering development 

costs. Simplify spacecraft avionics data acquisition with modules that can sense 

and record data from a variety of sensors. 

Description: Developments in reconfigurable distributed avionics architecture can be based upon a small 

number of multi-purpose modules that can be individually changed to drive and sense a variety of 

mechanical and electrical components, characterized generally as either a multi-purpose electronic drive 

module or a multi-functional signal-conditioning module. The generic drive module can be configured to 

drive and control a variety of spacecraft avionics components: valves, motors, solenoids, pin pullers, 

thermostats, and heaters. A generic sensor module will be able to sense and record data from a variety 

of spacecraft avionics sensors: thermocouples, resistive temperature devices, potentiometers, 

encoders, tachometers, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and level and pressure sensors. 

Dependencies: F04, F05, F06, F11, F12, I06, CT14

I09: Spacecraft Integrated System Health Management (ISHM)/Integrated Vehicle Health 

Management (IVHM)

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2019

Benefit: Increase reliability and operation of spacecraft systems.

Description: Development of reliable, believable (i.e., no false-positives) sensing devices to enable the 

ISHM/IVHM type of implementations is needed. ISHM systems include: sensors, anomaly detection, 

diagnosis, prognostics, user interfaces to provide integrated awareness of system condition, and new 

systems engineering processes enabled by intelligent elements that are part of the ISHM knowledge 

architecture. 

Dependencies: CD03, CD05, I06, I08, CT14

Page 

44
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Attitude Control / Navigation Type Sensors

I10: Smallsat attitude determination/control instruments

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2020

Benefit: Volume and mass reduction of spacecraft avionics especially for small 

satellites. 

Description: Development of inexpensive attitude determination/control instruments for small satellites 

(e.g., nanosat or cubesat) is desired. These instruments must be designed to use low power and small 

volume and provide high precision to increase pointing accuracy.

Dependencies: F06, F14, CD02, CD03, CD04

I11: Docking and close proximity operations instrumentation

Priority:

High

Target 

Date:

2021

Benefit: Increase rendezvous/docking accuracy will help insure the safe 

operation of the spacecraft(s).

Description: Instruments and associated processing systems that enable safe real-time navigation and 

maneuvering in close proximity to small bodies, e.g., comets and asteroids as well as small moons and 

other primitive, low mass (low gravity) objects are desired. Used for autonomous robotic, teleoperated 

robotic, and crewed missions, these instruments are enabling for future solar system exploration and 

science missions. Examples include Doppler lidar velocimeters, flash lidar, and radar mapping systems. 

Dependencies: C01, C05

I12: Autonomous landing instrumentation

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2024

Benefit: Increase landing accuracy will help insure the safe operation of the 

spacecraft.

Description: Development of precision landing and hazard avoidance instrumentation for autonomous 

landings is needed including instruments and associated processing systems for high-precision vehicle 

velocity vector determination, and altitude and attitude determination. Examples include Doppler lidar 

velocimeters, flash lidar, and radar mapping systems. 

Dependencies: C01, C05

Page 

45
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Gas Detection Sensors

I13: Portable photo-acoustic system for planetary exploration

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2021

Benefit: Very high sensitivity can be achieved. Instruments are extremely stable 

using microphones with a drift of <10% in 100 years.

Description: Photo-acoustic systems are designed to detect specific molecular species with high 

sensitivity (up to parts per trillion), using an array of microphones and array of infrared/ultraviolet lightemitting diodes to determine exact location and quantity of gaseous species of interest.

Dependencies: F14

I14: Molecular detection/trace gas detection sensors

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2025

Benefit: Highly sensitive gas detection. 

Description: Development of intelligent, autonomous, distributed sensors (wired and wireless) for highly 

sensitive gas detection is desired. The sensors are based on nanostructures that can potentially respond 

to a single molecule. Dependent on RFID technology development.

Dependencies: I06

Smart Sensors

I15: Autonomous lab on a chip 

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2025

Benefit: Increase reliability and weight reduction of spacecraft instrumentation 

systems.

Description: Development of miniature autonomous instrument sensors using ‘smart’ materials (i.e., 

materials with properties that can change in a controlled fashion by external stimuli) is desired. These 

instrument sensors have built-in capabilities to support sampling, sensor cleaning, and waste rejection 

schemes.

Dependencies: C15

Page 

46
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Communication and Tracking Technologies

The Communication and Tracking System provides the links to the spacecraft for command, telemetry 

and science data transfers as well as navigation support. Parts of the communication and tracking 

system include (but are not limited to) baseband processors, crypto devices, transponders/transceivers, 

optical terminals, antenna, filters, etc. Growing capabilities of science instruments, high quality imagery, 

and advanced mission concepts call for higher data rates, and networked communication at lower mass 

and power. To support these capabilities for future exploration systems, advances in communication 

technologies in the areas of internetworking, delay/disruption tolerant networking, location aware 

positioning, optical communication, communications security, etc. are needed. Communications should 

not be a limiting factor for a future mission.

Numbered ovals are used to 

indicate the applicability of 

a milestone to multiple 

groupings

Communication and Tracking – Major Milestones

1515

Miniature Reconfigurable 

Comm for BEO EVA

Radios using UWB or 

other formats

Low Power, High Rate 

RF for NEN and DSN

CT09

Revolutionary 

Concepts

CT10

Low Voltage/Low 

Power Transceiver 

Module Energy 

Harvesting

Optical Comm for Deep 

Space

1 3

9

Spectrum Analysis tool 

for LEO, DSN, etc.

Networking 

Communications

CT01

CT03

CT02

CT04

CT05

2

4 1 3 5

DTN technology maturation

COMSEC/mission assurance technologies

Mesh networking protocols – ad-hoc protocols (includes EVA)

Surface wireless networks

Navigation/location aware networking

CT15 Unified trajectory and link analysis tool for LEO 

CT16 Augmentation for deep space

CT17 Augmentation for planetary surfaces

CT19 Quantum keying

CT20 Superconducting Quantum 

Interference Filter (SQIF)

CT21 X-ray communications 

CT22 Quantum 

communications

CT11 Development of space-qualified low power V-band transceivers for vehicle/satellite internal environments 

CT12 RF energy harvesting technologies to drive V-band transceivers 

CT14 Chip antennas for integration with transmitter or transceiver electronics

Low power/mass transceivers for higher carrier frequencies such as X-band, Ka-band

CT08 DS optical ground stations

CT07 Deep Space (DS) optical terminal 

CT06 OCT optical communications demonstration 

Methods for proximity tracking or localization in a GPS-deprived environment

Lunar Vicinity

Extended Duration

Deep Space & 

Mars System

Lunar Surface

Near Earth Asteroid

Commercial / Government LEO

Robotics Missions LADEE to Discover and Prepare

MAVEN

InSight OSIRIS-REx MARS 2020 MARS Sample Return & Precursors

Humans 

Beyond LEO

ISS Research & Exploration Preparation

From the 

2013 Global 

Exploration 

Roadmap

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030+

ICESAT-2

JWST

Solar Probe+

CT23 Operational DS 

Optical Communications

4

5

Figure 6. Communication and Tracking – Major Milestones

Page 

47
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Networking Communications

CT01: Disruption/Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) technology maturation and validation using multicenter, International Partner and potentially International Space Station (ISS).

CT02: Communications Security (COMSEC)/mission assurance technologies for networked space 

communications 

CT03: Mesh networking protocols – ad-hoc protocols (includes EVA applications for in-space and 

surface communications)

CT04: Surface wireless networks 

CT05: Navigation/location aware networking

Priority:

High, High, 

High, High, 

High

Target Date:

2014, 2017, 

2015, 2019, 

2020

Benefit: Validated end-to-end architecture and standards for 

exploration internetworked, secure communications between multiple 

users /user classes.

Description: Current space communication scenarios, for the most part, have involved fundamental 

point-to-point links between a spacecraft and Earth. Today’s specialized link-layer protocols and 

carefully planned and scheduled link operations have thus far been adequate to meet the needs of 

missions. However, with a more networked communications architecture that is envisioned for deep 

space exploration and planetary surface operations, existing protocols and methodologies will need to 

evolve. Internetworking protocols that handle long link propagation delays and outages, and support 

surface wireless and proximity, quality of service, network management and information assurance, adhoc networking, etc., are critical in providing reliable, end-to-end communications. The above 

foundational technologies provide the necessary framework for networked communications for deep 

space exploration.

Dependencies: CT02 - CT01, CT03; CT03 - CT01; CT04 - CT01, CT02, CT03; CT05 - CT01, CT02, CT03, CT09

Page 

48
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Radios using Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) or other formats

CT01: DTN 

CT02: COMSEC 

CT03: Mesh networking protocols – ad-hoc protocols (includes EVA applications for in-space and 

surface communications)

CT04: Surface wireless networks 

CT09: Methods for proximity tracking or localization in a GPS-deprived environment 

Priority:

High, High, 

High, High, 

Medium

Target Date:

2014, 2017, 

2015, 2019, 

2017

Benefit: Small scale solution, suitable for EVA and/or freeflyer/rover communications and tracking.

Description: A next generation, miniature, reconfigurable radio is called for to support the mass, volume, 

and power constraints of deep space exploration suits (2018-2020), wireless sensor networks, etc. It 

should incorporate DTN, mesh networking, surface wireless networks, navigation/location aware 

networking, wearable antenna, etc., to provide a system capable of supporting in-space EVA, surface 

EVA/robotic missions, and free flyers.

Dependencies: CT02 - CT01, CT03; CT03 - CT01; CT04 - CT01, CT02, CT03

Miniature Reconfigurable Communications for Beyond Earth Orbit (BEO) EVA

CT01: DTN 

CT03: Mesh networking protocols – ad-hoc protocols (includes EVA applications for in-space and 

surface communications)

CT05: Surface wireless networks 

CT09: Methods for proximity tracking or localization in a Global Positioning System (GPS)-deprived 

environment

Priority:

High, High, 

High, Medium

Target Date:

2014, 2015, 

2020, 2017

Benefit: Small scale solution, suitable for EVA and/or free-flyer/rover 

communications and tracking.

Description: Methods for proximity tracking or localization are required for both robotic and human 

surface- and space-based operations. In some cases, proximity tracking is required to supplement 

global tracking by providing greater accuracy relative to local landmarks. In other cases, proximity 

tracking is required during outages or gaps in a global tracking service. Examples include a robotic 

element or rover finding its way back to a base or intra-habitat navigation by a free-flyer within ISS or a 

deep space habitat.

Dependencies: : CT03 – CT01; CT05 - CT01, CT02, CT03

Page 

49
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Optical Communications for Deep Space

CT06: OCT optical communications demonstration 

CT07: Deep Space (DS) optical terminal 

CT08: DS optical ground stations

CT23: Operational DS Optical Communications and Navigation

Priority:

Medium, 

Medium, 

Medium, 

Medium

Target 

Date:

2017, 

2023, 

2020, 2027

Benefit: High Rate Communications from Deep Space at significantly lower 

power (and mass).

Description: NASA is currently migrating to Ka-band for high-rate communications. However, it is 

anticipated that the demand for higher data rates will exceed the capacity available in the Ka-band 

spectrum given the mass and power constraints. At this stage, optical communications provide access 

to unregulated spectrum and will support the data rates needed by the next generation instruments, 

sensors, etc. Main challenges for deep space are the atmospheric issues and accurate acquisition and 

tracking of the target. These advances will be made with OCT TDM and other developmental test 

objectives. 

Dependencies: CT08 - CT06; CT07 - CT06, CT08; CT23 - CT07, CT08

Low Power, High Rate RF for Near Earth Network (NEN) and Deep Space 

Network (DSN)

CT10: Low power/mass transceivers for higher carrier frequencies such as X-band, Ka-band

Priority:

Medium

Target 

Date:

2015

Benefit: Intermediate RF solution for High rate communication until Optical 

Comm comes on-board.

Description: To bridge the gap to optical communications from deep space as well as to provide highrate communications between exploration vehicles (space–to-space or space-to-surface), a low-power, 

high-rate Ka-band system with higher order modulation, coding, etc. reducing the mass and power 

required is needed. Mass and power reductions come with coding, miniaturization, advanced 

semiconductor technology, etc.

Dependencies: None

Page 

50
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Low Voltage / Low Power Transceiver Module Energy Harvesting

CT11: Development of space-qualified low power V-band transceivers for vehicle/satellite internal 

environments 

CT12: RF energy harvesting technologies to drive V-band transceivers 

CT14: Chip antennas for integration with transmitter or transceiver electronics

Priority:

Medium, Medium, 

Medium

Target Date:

2017, 2015, 

2015

Benefit: Provides backbone for high rate, ultra-low-power 

wireless sensors and instrumentation significantly reducing 

mass and power

Description: V-band could be beneficial for space-to-space (vacuum environment) at very high data rate 

links. Either vehicle to vehicle, or long haul. Hardware technology would include space qualified 

antennas, transceivers, and power amplifiers. V-band could also be used internal to the space vehicle for 

sensor data transfer/high data rate devices such as High Definition (HD) video, displays, laptops, and 

biomedical hardware.

Sensors with integrated transmitters such as a thermocouple with transmitter all run off of parasitic 

energy sources. V-band could be used internal to the space vehicle for sensor data transfer/high data 

rate devices such as HD video, displays, laptops and biomedical hardware.

Dependencies: CT11 - CT12, CT14

Spectrum Analysis Tool for Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Deep Space Network (DSN), 

etc.

CT15: Unified trajectory and link analysis tool for LEO 

CT16: Augmentation for deep space 

CT17: Augmentation for planetary surfaces

Priority:

Low, Low, Low

Target Date:

2014, 2015, 

2017

Benefit: A unified link analysis tool for different exploration 

destinations

Description: A spectrum analysis tool is needed that will assist designers in predicting communications 

performance for LEO, Lunar Surface Operations, and deep space applications that is aimed at providing 

analysis support as well as assistance in preparing data for spectrum applications. This tool could be 

seen as a product that calls a commercial product such as Satellite Tool Kit for underlying computations 

for orbits and access. It would also provide supplementary computations needed for the analysis, such 

as DSN interference estimates, planetary/Lunar surface multipath degradation effects, ITU surface 

power constraint estimates, etc.

Dependencies: CT16 - CT15; CT17 - CT15, CT16

Page 

51
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

C&T Revolutionary Concepts

CT19: Quantum keying 

CT20: Superconducting Quantum Interference Filter (SQIF)

CT21: X-ray communications 

CT22: Quantum communications

Priority:

Low, 

Low,

Low, 

Low

Target 

Date:

2020, 

2022, 

2025, 

2030

Benefit: SQIF technology will provide huge performance improvements in terms 

of SWaP using detection of magnetic fields instead of electric fields.

Description: From OCT – TA05: Advancement of X-ray navigation using X-ray emitting pulsars could 

provide the ability to autonomously determine position anywhere in the solar system just as GPS does 

for Earth inhabitants. Successful development of SQIF technology would change the paradigm for RF 

communication to detecting the magnetic field instead of the electric field and provide magnitudes of 

improvement in our communication systems.

Dependencies: CT20 - CT19; CT22 - CT19, CT20

Page 

52
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Human Interface Technologies

Computer-Human Interface is an interdisciplinary field which is focused on the interaction between 

human users and computer systems including the user interface and the underlying processes 

which produce the interactions. From the human perspective, interaction with the world around us 

is achieved through our five senses: hearing (auditory interfaces), touch (tactile interfaces), sight 

(visual interfaces), smell (olfactory interfaces) and taste (gustation interfaces). Olfactory and 

gustation interfaces have not been included in this roadmap because they are extremely immature 

technologies and it is unclear which discipline area will implement these types of interfaces 

(electrical, chemical, etc.).

Human Interface Technology – Major Milestones

1616

Auditory Interface 

Technologies

Tactile Interface 

Technologies

Visual Interface 

Technologies

Multi-Sense 

Interface 

Technologies

H20 Immersive 

environment H19 Virtual window

Wearable Computing H18

H17

Electronic

Textiles H16 (e-Textiles) Computer-mediated reality

Computer vision H15

H14 Efficient HD motion imagery compression

H13 Radiation-tolerant HD and high resolution imagers

H12 Panoramic motion

imagery acquisition

H11 Near-to-Eye Display (NED)

H10 Transparent and

deformable displays

Autostereoscopic displays H09

H08 Two-Dimensional (2D) displays

H06 Computer haptics H05 Physiological Computing (PC)

H01 Miniaturized space-qualified microphones 

H02 Miniaturized space-qualified speakers

H04 Speech-to-text/text-to-speech algorithms

H03 Speech/voice recognition algorithms

Lunar Vicinity

Extended Duration

Deep Space & 

Mars System

Lunar Surface

Near Earth Asteroid

Commercial / Government LEO

Robotics Missions LADEE to Discover and Prepare

MAVEN

InSight OSIRIS-REx MARS 2020 MARS Sample Return & Precursors

Humans 

Beyond LEO

ISS Research & Exploration Preparation

From the 

2013 Global 

Exploration 

Roadmap

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030+

ICESAT-2

JWST

Solar Probe+

H21

H22

H23

Electronic 

Subdermal

Implants

Tattooed Electronics

Holographic Visual Displays

H07 Software GPU H24 Advamced

Software GPU

H25 Advanced Two-Dimensional (2D) displays

H26 Advanced Transparent and

deformable displays

H27 Advanced Near-to-Eye Display (NED)

H28 Advanced Panoramic motion

imagery acquisition

H29 Advanced Computer vision

H30 Advanced Computer-mediated reality

Figure 7. Human Interfaces – Major Milestones

Page 

53
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Auditory Interfaces

H01: Miniaturized space-qualified microphones 

H02: Miniaturized space-qualified speakers

Priority:

MEDIUM

Target 

Date:

2021

Benefit: Miniaturization of speakers and microphones for spaceflight will 

decrease the size, weight and power requirements for audio interfaces and 

enable wearable applications beyond traditional ear-attached devices.

Description: Several technologies are under development which will miniaturize microphones and 

speakers and allow applications in new contexts. For example, development of distributed planar array 

microphones, coupled with Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, will facilitate 

ubiquitous voice communications without use of crew-worn or hand-held microphones. Also, 

customization of commercial bone conduction technology for use with traditional dynamic and electret 

microphones will improve voice communications and speech recognition. As for speakers, 

implementation of edge vibrated, electrostatic and distributed mode technology will produce low mass, 

low power, and space efficient loud speakers. Due to the advancement in commercial products, 

investment by NASA in these areas should not be in advancing the technology itself, but instead in 

adapting this technology to the unique environmental challenges of human spaceflight. 

Dependencies: F16

H03: Speech/voice recognition algorithms 

H04: Speech-to-text/text-to-speech algorithms

Priority:

LOW

Target Date:

2016

Benefit: Accurate speech/voice recognition and speech-to-text/textto-speech algorithms will be imperative for space-to-ground 

communications on high latency links.

Description: Development of accurate speech recognition technology capable of adapting to 

physiological effects of spaceflight on the human vocal tract is required. This area includes development 

of a redundant speech recognizer for reliable voice control of systems. Commercial advancements in 

recent years in speech/voice recognition algorithms make investment by NASA in this area a low 

priority. Where NASA investment would be beneficial is in adaptation of these algorithms for specific 

human spaceflight issues such as noisy environments like ISS, heavy use of systems by both native and 

non-native English speakers, compensating for physiological and psychological factors affecting the 

speech process. Adaptation of these algorithms to handle the heavy use of NASA specific lingo and 

acronyms and development of a redundancy scheme that allows for reliable voice control of critical 

flight systems.

Additionally, optimization of speech-to-text/text-to-speech technology is required to support low data 

rate/high latency communication links. This technology will improve space-to-ground communications 

on high latency links by providing textual conversion of dialog and can be used for real-time dictation in 

flight. This will include computer speech with good intelligibility.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Tactile Interfaces

H05: Physiological Computing (PC)

Priority:

LOW

Target 

Date:

2022

Benefit: Physiological Computing could have a dramatic impact on decreasing 

crew workload and increasing crew accuracy.

Description: PC is a term used to describe any computing system which uses real-time physiological data 

as an input stream to control the user interface. The most basic PC is one which records a signal such as 

heart rate and displays it to the viewer via a screen. Other systems, such as brain-computer interfaces or 

unvoiced speech recognition, take a stream of physiological data (electrical activity from the brain or 

muscles) and convert it into input control at the interface, e.g., to move a cursor or select a command. 

Other types of PC simply monitor physiology in order to assess psychological states and trigger real-time 

adaptation. For example, if the system detects high blood pressure, it may assume the user is 

experiencing high frustration and offer help. The applications for PC range from adaptive automation in 

an aircraft cockpit to computer games where electrical activity is used to initiate particular commands. 

Most advanced PC applications (such as brain-computer interfaces) are in the low TRL stages and heavy 

investment by NASA is not currently recommended.

Dependencies: C17, I07

H06: Computer haptics

Priority:

LOW

Target 

Date:

2017

Benefit: Computer haptic will have a significant impact on wearable/hands-free 

operation, as well as realism in immersive environments which will bring the 

experience of spaceflight to Earth and experiences from Earth to the crew.

Description: Haptics is a highly interdisciplinary technology area which aims to define how humans and machines 

touch, explore, and manipulate objects in real, virtual, or teleoperated worlds. Haptics have been used to allow 

teleoperators to feel what a robot touches and to increase realism in training applications. Flight simulators 

equipped with force feedback joysticks provide a convincing example for the importance of simulation technology 

and the significant role haptics play in training. Several studies in the past have shown the significance of haptics in 

teleoperation tasks in real and virtual worlds. For example, artificial force fields not only enable us to train the 

human operator in virtual environments, but also help him or her execute the teleoperated task better and faster 

in the real world.

Significant progress has been made in haptics, but there are still many research questions waiting to be answered. 

One of the constant challenges in integrating haptics into virtual environments is the need for a variety of haptic 

devices with the requisite degrees of freedom, range, resolution, and frequency bandwidth, both in terms of forces 

and displacements. Another area of hardware design which requires further investigation is multi-fingered haptic 

devices and tactile displays. It has been demonstrated, as we gather information about the shape and size of an 

object through touch, our fingers and hand move in an optimal manner. Moreover, robotics studies show at least 

three fingers are necessary for stable grasp. On the other hand, there are only a few multi-fingered haptic devices 

which are commercially available today.

Dependencies: None

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Visual Interfaces

H07: Software Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

H24: Advanced Software GPU

Priority:

HIGH

Target 

Date:

2014, 

2018

Benefit: Visual displays are the primary interface between the crew and 

spacecraft data, and this is not expected to change in the near term. There 

are currently no known GPU solutions that will reliably function in a deep 

space environment.

Description: GPUs are very efficient processors that manipulate computer graphics. Their highly parallel 

structure makes them more effective than general-purpose CPUs for algorithms where processing of 

large blocks of data is done in parallel. Commercial GPUs have not been shown to be adequate for highreliability applications within the radiation environment of spaceflight (i.e. dynamic flight phases and 

high criticality applications). The solution used for the Space Shuttle severely limited the capabilities of 

the graphics and drastically trails the capabilities of commercial GPUs used on Earth. For long-duration 

missions, with increasing requirements for information access, it will be critical to increase the ability of 

space qualified GPUs. One promising technology for creating a radiation tolerant GPU is to implement 

the capability within a general-purpose CPU.

Dependencies: H07 – None; H24 - C01, C02, C03, C04

H08: Two-Dimensional (2D) displays

H25: Advanced 2D displays

Priority:

HIGH

Target 

Date:

2014, 

2019

Benefit: 2D visual displays are primary interface between the crew and 

spacecraft data, and this is not expected to change in the near term. Adaption 

of newer technologies is imperative to decrease the size, weight and power 

consumption of traditionally large, heavy, high power display units.

Description: Traditional 2D displays are constantly evolving. The next generation of these visual displays 

appears to be Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) technology which significantly reduces size, weight, 

and power requirements for visual displays. Also, depending on the application, e-Ink displays could 

have similar benefits. However, other technologies are emerging which could have impact beyond 

OLED, such as quantum dot, bistable, and laser-phosphor displays. While the commercial industry is far 

ahead of NASA in display development technology, where NASA should invest their limited resources is 

in early space flight environmental testing of different display types. With good environmental data 

NASA may be able to influence commercial development display manufacturing lines as each display 

type evolves.

Dependencies: H08 – H07; H25 – C13

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

H09: Autostereoscopic displays

Priority:

LOW

Target 

Date:

2019

Benefit: Utilization of autostereoscopic displays in spacecraft will increase

immersion and open up new information display possibilities allowing for 

quicker information access and management of extremely large data sets.

Description: Autostereoscopic displays are able to provide binocular depth perception without the 

hindrance of specialized headgear or filter/shutter glasses. At its simplest, this is 3-D television (3DTV). 

However, the technology is also progressing toward digital holographic prints and video. Some of the 

various technologies which are competing to best implement an autostereoscopic display are parallax 

barrier, lenticular, volumetric, electro-holographic, and light field displays.

Dependencies: C13, H07

H10: Transparent and deformable displays

H26: Advanced transparent and deformable displays

Priority:

MEDIUM

Target 

Date:

2017, 

2019

Benefit: Transparent and deformable displays will revolutionize EVA activities, 

allowing for higher efficiency and accuracy. These technologies will also 

drastically increase efficiency of crew maintenance activities both IVA and 

EVA.

Description: Additional layers of capability which are being added to display technologies are 

transparency and deformation. These capabilities lead toward development of more useable near-toeye displays, as well as new ways to unobtrusively integrate displays into the environment. These 

capabilities are being explored through traditional 2D-type displays, as well as through projection and 

printable displays.

Dependencies: H10 – H07; H26 – C13

H11: Near-to-Eye Display (NED)

H27: Advanced NED

Priority:

MEDIUM

Target 

Date:

2015, 

2020

Benefit: Near-to-Eye Displays are essential in moving toward truly 

wearable/mobile crew operations, allowing for frictionless interaction 

between crew and the spacecraft. This technology will have significant 

impacts on EVA operations to allow the crew access to visual information that 

they have as of yet been unable to see.

Description: NEDs have been classified into one of three categories based on the mode of image 

presentation. Monocular NEDs usually have only one display; in binocular (stereo) NEDs, two disparate 

images are presented on two displays; in bi-ocular mode the same image is presented on two displays. 

Different types of NED are beneficial for different applications. Two of the most impactful applications of 

NEDs are virtual reality (presenting an entirely virtual world to the user) and augmented reality 

(presenting digital information onto the real world).

Dependencies: H11 – H07; H27 – C13, CT04

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

H12: Panoramic motion imagery acquisition

H28: Advanced panoramic imagery acquisition

Priority:

LOW

Target 

Date:

2018, 

2021

Benefit: Panoramic motion imagery acquisition is required for displaying an 

immersive environment of real-time video.

Description: Panoramic image acquisition is based on mosaic approaches developed in the context of 

still imagery. Mosaics are created from multiple overlapping sub-images pieced together to form a highresolution, panoramic or wide field-of-view image. While still imagery mosaics and panoramas are 

common, high-resolution real-time panoramic video is an emerging area. For panoramic, real-time High 

Definition (HD) video, an array of video cameras view the scene, while a digital recording and playback 

system maintains precise frame synchronization, allowing the frames to be stitched together. The 

challenges encountered in this process span issues in camera calibration, real time scene stitching, 

image processing, compression, networking, computer graphics, and high-performance computing.

Dependencies: H12 - C01, C04, C10; H28 - C15, H13, H14

H13: Radiation-tolerant HD and high resolution imagers

Priority:

HIGH

Target 

Date:

2017

Benefit: Radiation-tolerant HD and high resolution imagers are critical for 

video needed for safety-critical mission inspection operations.

Description: The image sensors used for spaceflight applications have historically been commercially 

available sensors which are vetted through radiation testing on the ground and flown for a limited 

lifetime until they degrade to a predetermined limit. Then, they are discarded and replaced. For longduration missions beyond LEO, radiation-tolerant high-definition video and high resolution still imagers 

will be required. Unfortunately no other industry is heavily vested in this particular technology area, so 

it will be imperative for NASA to invest in and develop the technology needed in this area.

Dependencies: C15

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

H14: Efficient HD motion imagery compression

Priority:

HIGH

Target 

Date:

2020

Benefit: Efficient HD motion imagery compression is critical for bringing video 

back to Earth in order to perform safety-critical mission inspection operations.

Description: Motion imagery compression reduces the amount of data used to represent digital video 

images, and combines spatial image compression and temporal motion compensation. Most video 

compression is inadequate; it operates on the premise much of the data present before compression is 

not necessary for achieving good perceptual quality. Some forms of data compression are lossless. This 

means the data is decompressed, resulting in a bit-for-bit perfect match with the original. While lossless 

compression of video is possible, it is rarely used, since traditional compression results in far higher 

compression ratios at an acceptable level of quality. However, in spaceflight applications where very 

few or no humans are present, video is the primary method we have to experience the mission 

environment. Future NASA missions will require higher compression ratios without sacrificing image 

quality. 

Dependencies: C01, C04, C10, C15

H15: Computer vision

H29: Advanced computer vision

Priority:

MEDIUM

Target 

Date:

2018, 

2022

Benefit: Computer vision will decrease the time impact and increase the 

accuracy of maintenance activities aboard a spacecraft. Additionally, 

computer vision will unburden much of our currently “manual” image analysis 

for safety-critical inspection capability.

Description: Computer vision is the field concerned with the automated processing of images from the 

real world to extract and interpret information on a real-time basis. It is the science and technology of 

machines which see. Here, “see” means the machine is able to extract information from an image, to 

solve some task, or perhaps understand the scene in either a broad or limited sense. The field includes 

scene reconstruction, event detection, and video tracking (3D human body tracking, including eye/gaze 

tracking, object recognition, learning, indexing, motion estimation and image restoration).

Dependencies: H15 - C01, C04, C10; H29 - H12, H13, H14

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

H16: Computer-mediated reality

H30: Advanced computer mediated reality

Priority:

MEDIUM

Target 

Date:

2018, 

2023

Benefit: Computer-mediated reality will increase situational awareness of 

crew members by immediately providing vehicle health and status 

information, along with caution and warning alerts in a mobile or wearable 

computing platform. Additionally, computer-mediated reality will decrease 

the time impact and increase the accuracy of maintenance activities aboard a 

spacecraft. 

Description: Computer-mediated reality refers to the ability to add or subtract information or otherwise 

manipulate one's perception of reality through the use of a wearable computer or hand-held device. 

Typically, it is the user's visual perception of the environment which is mediated. This is done through 

the use of some kind of electronic device which can act as a visual filter between the real world and 

what the user perceives. The field of computer-mediated reality encompasses augmented reality 

(adding or subtracting digital information to the real world) and virtual reality (immersion into a 

completely digital world).

Dependencies: H16 - C01, C04, C10, H10, H11; H30 - H12, H13, H14, H15

H21: Holographic Visual Displays

Priority:

LOW

Target Date:

2026

Benefit: Holographic Visual Displays will take a user a huge step 

closer to a truly immersive environment then the current 2D and 3D 

visual displays. This technology could allow the user to interact with 

object and even people as if they are physically present.

Description: A holographic display is basically a type of display technology that has the ability to provide 

all four eye mechanisms: binocular disparity, motion parallax, accommodation and convergence. It 

involves the use of a laser, interference, diffraction, light intensity recording and suitable illumination of 

the recording. The image changes as the position and orientation of the viewing system changes in 

exactly the same way as if the object were still present, thus making the image appearthreedimensional.

Dependencies: C13, H07

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Multi-Sense Interfaces

H17: Electronic Textiles (e-Textiles)

H18: Wearable Computing

Priority:

LOW

Target Date:

2021

Benefit: There are numerous potential benefits to e-Textiles and 

Wearable Computing, most notably are mobile, on-demand access to 

space vehicle and robotic displays and controls; multi-modal caution 

and warning using tactile, auditory and visual alarms; and wireless, 

hands-free, on-demand voice communication. All of this benefits will 

increase crew reaction time to critical safety situations.

Description: E-textiles are fabrics which have electronics and interconnections woven into them offering 

physical flexibility and size which cannot be achieved with existing electronic manufacturing techniques. 

Components and interconnections are intrinsic to the fabric and thus are less visible and not susceptible 

to becoming tangled or snagged by the surroundings. An e-textile can be worn in everyday situations 

where currently available wearable computers would hinder the user. E-textiles can also more easily 

adapt to changes in the computational and sensing requirements of an application, a useful feature for 

power management and context awareness. For NASA, e-textiles show a great deal of promise in 

improving crew life and efficiency in a wide variety of ways including:

- Mobile, on-demand access to space vehicle and robotic displays and controls

- Multi-modal caution and warning using tactile, auditory, and visual alarms

- Wireless, hands-free, on-demand voice communication

- Continuous biomedical monitoring for research and detection of health problems

- Activity monitoring for responsive robotics and environments

- Environmental monitoring for individual exposure assessments and alarms

Many technical challenges must still be overcome by NASA to realize these wearable technology 

applications. For example, to make a comfortable garment, electronic components must be small, 

flexible, and lightweight. They must be placed in locations that are appropriately accessible but not 

intrusive, and integrated into the garment with advanced manufacturing techniques. Limited power is 

available from body-worn batteries and heat must be managed to prevent discomfort. If the clothing is 

to be washed, there is additional durability and wash-ability hurdles that traditional electronics are not 

designed to address. Finally, each specific capability has unique technical challenges that will likely 

require unique solutions.

Wearable computing is miniature devices that are worn by the user under, with or on top of clothing. 

Some of the most recent, notable applications in this field today are items like electronic glasses (e.g., 

Google Glasses), watches (e.g., Sony SmartWatch) and exercise aids/trackers (e.g. FuelBand, Fitbit, 

JawboneUp). These types of devices allow a user to create their own personal area network and will 

eventually provide a significant change in mobility and its uses. When wearable computing is combined 

with the e-textile field smart clothing will allow an astronaut to become more efficient and self-sufficient 

than ever before.

Dependencies: C14, C15, CD01, I07, I08, CT03, CT05

Page 

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

H19: Virtual window

Priority:

LOW

Target 

Date:

2025

Benefit: Virtual windows will drastically reduce the structural concerns on 

including optical windows in a spacecraft and increase situational awareness 

and vehicle inspection capability.

Description: A virtual window utilizes digital technology to simulate an optical window including the 

changes in perspective due to the movements of the observer. The ultimate implementation would 

include autostereoscopic video/displays, panoramic motion imagery acquisition, ambiance audio, 

pan/tilt/zoom for situational awareness, and radiation tolerant video and graphics. A virtual window is 

technology that could be used by NASA to save significant weight in the spacecraft structure. Spacecraft 

windows are heavy and are often one of the weakest points in the vehicle structure. In addition to 

weight savings, the ability to multipurpose this technology for other uses, such as acting as the vehicle’s 

primary display system

Dependencies: C01, C04, C10, H07, H13, H14

H20: Immersive environment

Priority:

LOW

Target Date:

2030

Benefit: Immersive environment technologies will provide crews of long 

duration missions a crucial psychological connection back to Earth. 

Immersive environments also allow those here on Earth a valuable look into 

life aboard a spacecraft and a valuable tool for real-time mission 

troubleshooting.

Description: An immersive digital environment is an artificial, interactive, computer-created scene or 

world within which a user can immerse one’s self. Immersive digital environments could be synonymous 

with virtual reality without the implication actual reality is being simulated. An immersive digital 

environment could be a model of reality but it could also be a complete fantasy user interface or 

abstraction as long as the user of the environment is immersed within it. The definition of immersion is 

wide and variable but here it is assumed to simply mean the user feels like he or she is part of the 

simulated universe. The success with which an immersive digital environment can actually immerse the 

user is dependent on many factors such as believable 3D computer graphics, surround sound, 

interactive user input, and other factors such as simplicity, functionality, and potential for enjoyment. 

To create a sense of full immersion, the five senses (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste) must perceive the 

digital environment to be physically real. Immersive technology can perceptually fool the senses 

through:

• Panoramic 3D or holographic displays (visual)

• Surround sound acoustics (auditory)

• Haptic and force feedback (tactile)

• Smell replication (olfactory)

• Taste replication (gustation)

Some potential applications for an immersive environment include crew recreation, training, and 

troubleshooting.

Dependencies: C01, C04, C10, C13, H01, H02, H03, H05, H06, H07, H09, H11, H16, H18, H19

Page 

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

H22: Tattooed Electronics

Priority:

LOW

Target Date:

2023

Benefit: Tattooed electronics will be a transitional technology 

between non-intrusive wearable technologies and subdermal 

implants. By printing the electronic mesh directly onto skin, the 

sensor becomes approximately 1/30 the size and even conforms 

better to that body's natural bumps and curves.

Description: Tattooed electronics allow sensors and communications electronics to be worn on the skin 

as easily as a temporary tattoo. The electronics could include electrophysiological and physical sensors 

as well as wireless communication modules. Recordings for EEG, EKG/ECG, and EMG sensors 

(measuring electrical activity in the brain, heart, 

and skeletal muscles respectively) could be comparable to data obtained via bulky commercial devices. 

Additionally, there are a myriad of other uses in human-machine interfaces. For example, when 

mounted to a user's throat, simple spoken commands can be translated into electrical controls.

Dependencies: H05, H17, H18

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Conclusion

The Avionics Technology Roadmap takes an 80% approach to technology investment in spacecraft 

avionics. It delineates a suite of technologies covering foundational, component, and subsystem-levels, 

which directly support 80% of future NASA space mission needs. The roadmap eschews high cost, 

limited utility technologies in favor of lower cost, and broadly applicable technologies with high return 

on investment. The roadmap is also phased to support future NASA mission needs and desires, with a 

view towards creating an optimized investment portfolio that matures specific, high impact technologies 

on a schedule that matches optimum insertion points of these technologies into NASA missions. The 

roadmap looks out over 15+ years and covers some 114 technologies, 58 of which are targeted for TRL6 

within 5 years, with 23 additional technologies to be at TRL6 by 2020. Of that number, only a few are 

recommended for near term investment:

1. Rad Hard High Performance Computing

2. Extreme temperature capable electronics and packaging

3. RFID/SAW-based spacecraft sensors and instruments

4. Lightweight, low power 2D displays suitable for crewed missions

5. Radiation tolerant Graphics Processing Unit to drive crew displays

6. Distributed/reconfigurable, extreme temperature and radiation tolerant, spacecraft sensor 

controller and sensor modules

7. Spacecraft to spacecraft, long link data communication protocols

8. High performance and extreme temperature capable C&DH subsystem 

In addition, the roadmap team recommends several other activities that it believes are necessary to 

advance avionics technology across NASA:

• Engage the OCT roadmap teams to coordinate avionics technology advances and infusion into 

these roadmaps and their mission set

• Charter a team to develop a set of use cases for future avionics capabilities in order to decouple 

this roadmap from specific missions

• Partner with the Software Steering Committee to coordinate computing hardware and software 

technology roadmaps and investment recommendations

• Continue monitoring foundational technologies upon which future avionics technologies will be 

dependent, e.g., RHBD and COTS semiconductor technologies 

The ASC Technology Roadmap team would like to thank the ASC membership for the opportunity to 

develop this important strategic document, which it believes should be updated on a yearly to bi-yearly 

basis in order to keep up with this highly dynamic and rapidly advancing field.

Page 

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

Acronyms

2D Two-Dimensional

3-D Three-Dimensional 

ASC Avionics Steering Committee

ASIC Application-Specific Integrated Circuit

C Celsius

C&DH Command and Data Handling

CMOS Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor 

COMSEC Communications Security

DARPA Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

DDR Double Data Rate

DRM Design Reference Mission

DS Deep Space

DSN Deep Space Network

DTN Delay-Tolerant Network

DTRA Defense Threat Reduction Agency

EVA Extravehicular Activity

FeRAM Ferroelectric Random-Access Memory

FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array

GaN Gallium Nitride

Gb/s Gigabits Per Second

GPS Global Positioning System

HD High Definition

I/O Input/Output

ISHM Integrated System Health Management

ISS International Space Station

IVHM Integrated Vehicle Health Management

krad Kilorad

LEO Low Earth Orbit

Mb/s Megabit Per Second

MEM Microelectromechanical

MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MPCV Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle

MRAM Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory

NEA Near Earth Asteroid

NED Near-to-Eye Display

nm Nanometer

NRO National Reconnaissance Office

OCT Office of the Chief Technologist

OLED Organic Light-Emitting Diode

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65
Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap – January 2014

phy Physical

PC Physiological Computing

PCRAM Phase-Change Random-Access Memory

RAM Random Access Memory

QML Qualified Manufacturer List. – QML

RF Radio Frequency

RFID Radio Frequency Identification

RH Radiation Hardened

RHBD Radiation Hardening By Design 

SAW Surface Acoustic Wave

SBC Single Board Computer

SDRAM Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory

SiGe Silicon-Germanium

SiC Silicon Carbide

SIMD Single Instruction Multiple Data 

SLS Space Launch System 

SOC System On Chip

SOI Silicon-On-Insulator

SONOS Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide Silicon

SQIF Superconducting Quantum Interference Filter

SRAM Static Random Access Memory

THz Terahertz

TRL Technology Readiness Level

TSV Through Silicon Via

μm Micrometer

Page 

66

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September 2014 Technical Memorandum

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Flight Avionics Hardware Roadmap

Avionics Steering Committee

January 2014

6. AUTHOR(S)

Raphael Some; Monte Goforth; Dr. Yuan Chen; Wes Powell; Paul Paulick; Sharada 

Vitalpur; Deborah Buscher

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13. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words)

The results of the 2014 update of NASA’s Avionics Steering Committee (ASC) Technology Roadmap are provided. This is the result 

of a multi-center effort directed by the ASC to address its stated goal “to advance the avionics discipline ahead of program and project 

needs”. The NASA ASC is chartered out of the Office of Chief Engineer (OCE), and represents the Agency’s avionics workforce 

through its line management representatives. The ASC Technology Roadmap is intended to strategically guide avionics technology 

development to effectively meet future NASA missions’ needs. The roadmap addresses only flight avionics hardware and did not

consider ground-based electronics, flight software, or ground software. The ASC Technology Roadmap looks out over 15+ years, 

with near-term focus on evolving technologies and a long-term look at technologies that are more revolutionary. From the key 

technologies identified, a subset was selected for near term Agency investments. Factors considered in making this selection included 

readiness of the technology itself, potential for external partners to help develop it, and existing/future NASA technology development 

investments. The ASC has also identified future efforts “to advance the avionics discipline ahead of program and project needs.”

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