A hybrid PCI/VME architecture for space

Southwest Research Institute has developed a hybrid space system architecture incorporating both the VME and PCI buses. The combined architecture allows the incorporation of heritage space qualified VME modules with new high performance PCI modules, reducing development cost and providing risk mitigation at the system level. The core of the hybrid architecture is the SwRI PCI to VME Bridge (PVB), a high performance interface between the two buses. The PVB was initially prototyped using standard commercial FPGA technology, then subsequently migrated to radiation tolerant implementation, with the ultimate goal of a radiation hardened ASIC in Q4-2001.