Space Technology Gets Simplified in This Space 2.0 Webinar From Avnet, AMD Xilinx

The history of space is the history of technology. While the computing devices powering the earliest crewed flights may seem crude by modern standards, space exploration has always driven technological progress — and so, too, has the march of technology opened up new frontiers, from powering probes which travel beyond the furthest reaches of our solar system to putting robotic exploration vehicles on the surface of Mars.

In recent years, though, there's been an explosion in space technology. The so-called "Space 2.0" movement, also known by its older name "NewSpace," has seen commercialization of the space sector at a rate never before experienced. While there haven't yet been commercial missions to an alien planet, we're seeing a huge increase in the number of machines orbiting the Earth — from hefty 1,000lb "mini" satellites to "pico" satellites weighing as little as two pounds.

Many Space 2.0 deployments require flexible computing technologies, which can stand up to the harsh environment outside the Earth's welcoming atmosphere. While the core hardware may be familiar, chips that head into orbit need to be rigorously tested and qualified as being suitable for use in orbit — because it's pretty hard to schedule an engineer visit when your hardware's flying 1,200 miles above the Earth's surface at 17,000 miles per hour.

For those interested in exactly what goes into radiation-qualified hardware for Space 2.0, AMD Xilinx and Avnet are offering an on-demand webinar on the topic. From a look at exactly what Space 2.0 is and the major players in it to the "radiation-tolerant" qualification process, you'll see exactly what makes space technologies stand out from their Earthbound equivalents.

The in-depth webinar features AMD Xilinx and Adam Taylor, founder and principal consultant of Adiuvo Engineering, covering topics including different satellite and orbit types, the AMD Xilinx XQR range of space-grade field-programmable gate array (FPGA) devices and their performance in high-radiation environments, and even the acceleration of deep-learning (DL) and artificial intelligence (AI) workloads in orbit.

At the event's conclusion, attendees will be given a practical checklist and follow-on advice to help them take their ideas further and stake their own claim in the Space 2.0 frontier — as well as an invitation to the Xilinx Space Lounge, where they will receive early access to documentation and full radiation reports for all parts.

The webinar is now available free of charge on-demand via ON24.