KAM/CSB/12U Smart Backplane Chassis
Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions
A rugged, 12-slot radiation-tolerant chassis that lets standard commercial data acquisition modules operate safely in space radiation environments, reducing the cost of space-grade data handling versus fully rad-hardened electronics.
Technical specifications
- Slots
- 12
- Family
- KAM-500 (Acra KAM-500)
- Radiation protection
- Rad-hard backplane detects and corrects Single Event Latch-Up per module
- COTS module compatibility
- 100+ standard COTS I/O plug-in modules
- Power feature
- Per-module on/off control to minimize power consumption
- Target applications
- Launch vehicles, re-entry vehicles, LEO satellites
- Introduced
- April 3, 2017 (33rd Space Symposium)
- Flight heritage
- Boeing CST-100 Starliner, ESA/Avio Vega-C launcher, NASA SLS/Orion, Rocket Lab, SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon, ESA IXV, ULA Delta IV, ISS ACLS
About
The Smart Backplane (KAM/CSB/12U) is a 12-user-slot chassis for space data acquisition, processing, and recording, part of Curtiss-Wright’s Acra KAM-500 family. Its key innovation is a rad-hard backplane providing system-level radiation protection, allowing 100+ standard COTS Acra KAM-500 I/O plug-in modules to be used without their own individual radiation hardening. When the backplane detects a Single Event Latch-Up caused by ionizing radiation, it automatically isolates and power-cycles the affected module within seconds while the rest of the system continues operating. It also minimizes power draw by letting individual modules be commanded on/off across mission phases. Target applications include launch vehicles, re-entry vehicles, and LEO satellites. The system carries flight heritage on Boeing CST-100 Starliner, the ESA/Avio Vega-C launcher, NASA SLS/Orion, Rocket Lab and SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon missions, the ESA IXV, ULA Delta IV, and ISS ACLS life-support monitoring. It was introduced at the 33rd Space Symposium in April 2017 as the space industry’s first rugged COTS-based chassis qualified for reliable data acquisition in space radiation environments.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.