Compact, Radiation-Tolerant Computing with Flexible I/O for Space Missions

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Frontgrade™ Technologies, a leading provider of high-reliability electronic solutions for space and national security missions, today announced the launch of the SBC-2A72 VPX Single Board Computer, a next-generation computing solution designed to meet the demanding requirements of the most advanced space missions. As part of our MAMBA architecture, the SBC-2A72 VPX is engineered for efficiency, flexibility, and long-term mission assurance in a lightweight 3U-160mm SpaceVPX form factor.

At its core, the SBC-2A72 features the VA7230 Dual ARM® Cortex®-A72 processor (~15K DMIPs) with integrated GPU, providing 10.4 GFLOPs of performance for advanced payload processing, imaging, and real-time graphics. This combination gives customers the ability to handle complex applications without straining system resources, ensuring efficiency across mission operations. By supporting modern OpenGL and OpenCL standards, the integrated GPU ensures compatibility with visualization, imaging, and analytical workloads, making it a workhorse for both payload data and image processing and real-time mission support.

Despite its processing strength, the SBC-2A72 weighs less than 0.65 kilograms and consumes under 15 watts typical, it is ideal for SWaP-constrained missions where every gram and watt matter. Its compact footprint simplifies integration into spacecraft architectures, helping customers deploy capability quickly and cost-effectively.

The SBC-2A72 also provides exceptional flexibility. With a CertusPro-NX-RT FPGA and XMC+ mezzanine interface, customers can adapt I/O configurations for unique mission requirements without redesigning hardware. Whether the need is high-speed networking, secure telemetry, advanced image processing, or custom control functions, this scalability reduces costs and accelerates deployment while ensuring mission adaptability.

A radiation-hardened microcontroller manages power distribution, system health, and module coordination, ensuring consistent performance in harsh orbital environments. With immunity to single-event latch-up and tolerance up to 50krad TID, the SBC-2A72 is designed for long-term durability in space.

Security is built in. Features such as secure boot, Arm TrustZone™, and a dedicated security engine safeguard mission-critical data and commands, providing confidence that onboard operations remain protected throughout the spacecraft’s lifecycle.

The SBC-2A72 also offers extensive connectivity, including Gigabit Ethernet, PCIe, USB 3.0, DisplayPort, GPIO, UART, and SpaceWire. Combined with 8GB ECC DDR4 memory and 32GB eMMC storage, the system delivers the throughput, storage, and interoperability required for modern spaceborne applications.

“The SBC-2A72 is built to give our customers the performance, reliability, and adaptability they need to advance their space missions with confidence,” said Lorne Graves, Sr. VP and Chief Technology Officer at Frontgrade. “By delivering powerful computing in a compact, radiation-tolerant form factor, we enable spacecraft designers to do more with less, without compromising mission assurance.”

With the launch of the SBC-2A72, Frontgrade continues its legacy of delivering radiation-tolerant, mission-proven electronics that power exploration, defense, and commercial missions around the world. Learn More about the SBC-2A72 VPX.

About Frontgrade™

Frontgrade Technologies is a leading provider of high-reliability, radiation-assured solutions for defense, intelligence, commercial, and civil applications. With over 60 years of space flight heritage, Frontgrade offers a complementary and integrated suite of mission-matched electronics, including rad-hard and rad-tolerant components, mission processing subsystems, amplifiers, custom ASICs, motion control systems, waveguides, antennas, and power management solutions. For more information, visit www.frontgrade.com.