computer science

RAD5500

RAD5500 is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand RAD5500 rather than just read about it. In short: The RAD5500 is a radiation-hardened 64-bit processor core design created by BAE Systems Electronics, Intelligence & Support based on the PowerPC e5500 designed by IBM and Freescale Semiconductor. Successor of the RAD750, the RAD5500 processor platform is for use in high radiation environments experienced on board satellites and spacecraft.

Key takeaways

RAD5500 belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect RAD5500 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of RAD5500 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The RAD5500 is a radiation-hardened 64-bit processor core design created by BAE Systems Electronics, Intelligence & Support based on the PowerPC e5500 designed by IBM and Freescale Semiconductor. Successor of the RAD750, the RAD5500 processor platform is for use in high radiation environments experienced on board satellites and spacecraft. The RAD5500 core supports VPX high speed connectors, DDR2/DDR3 memory, serialize/deserialize (SerDes), and SpaceWire IO.

Processors The RAD5500 core is based on those of the Freescale Semiconductor e5500-based QorIQ system-on-chip. The RAD5510, RAD5515, RAD5545, RADSPEED-HB (host bridge), and RAD510 are five system on a chip processors implemented with RAD5500 cores produced with 45 nm SOI technology from the IBM Trusted Foundry.

RAD5510 and RAD5515 The RAD5510 and RAD5515 processors employ a single RAD5500 core and are intended for medium processing capability in environments that require low power consumption (11.5 and 13.7 watts respectively). This processor provides up to 1.4 giga operations per second (GOPS) and 0.9 GFLOPS of performance. The RAD5515 is distinguished from the RAD5510 by the addition of RapidIO.

RAD5545 The RAD5545 processor employs four RAD5500 cores, achieving performance characteristics of up to 5.6 GOPS and over 3.7 GFLOPS. Power consumption is 20 watts with all peripherals operating.

RADSPEED-HB (host bridge) Based on the RAD5545, the RADSPEED-HB is intended for host processing and data management support for one to four RADSPEED DSPs. The RADSPEED-HB replaces a secondary DDR2/DDR3 memory interface connection found on the RAD5545 with connections for RADSPEED DSPs instead. RADSPEED DSPs are entirely different processors that are specialized for digital signal processing and are not to be confused with the RADSPEED-HB, which serves as a host bridge.

RAD510 The RAD510 system on a chip is marketed as a higher-performance and lower-power modern alternative to the RAD750 chips, for customers who do not need the performance of a RAD5545-based computer. Unlike the RAD5545, it is a single-core SoC.

Single-board computers

RAD5545 SpaceVPX The RAD5545 SpaceVPX single-board computer is for use in the harsh environmental conditions of outer space; designed for operating in temperatures between −55 °C and 125 °C and radiation-hardened for a total ionizing dose of 100 krad (for the silicon chips). It is a 6U-220 format module, compliant to the ANSI/VITA 78.00 SpaceVPX standard, and includes either a RAD5515 or RAD5545 processor. The RAD5545 SpaceVPX single-board computer is produced BAE Systems's facility in Manassas, Virginia, which is a U.S. Department of Defense Category 1A Microelectronics Trusted Source.

Endura 3U CompactPCI The Endura 3U CompactPCI single-board computer has a form factor of 100 mm × 160 mm and uses the RAD510 system on a chip. Its processor core operating frequency can range from 66 MHz to 462 MHz, supporting both low-power and high-performance applications. On-board volatile memory is provided by 1 GB SDRAM with Single Nibble Correct Double Nibble Detect (SNCDND) ECC. On-board non-volatile memory for general storage is provided by a 1 GB Triple Modular Redundant (TMR) NAND Flash. Separately, the start-up ROM is stored in 2 MB MRAM. Interfaces include a 32-bit, 33 MHz PCI interface with central resource capability, four external SpaceWire ports, SPI, JTAG Master, and UART.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with RAD5500

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what RAD5500 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to RAD5500 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about RAD5500 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of RAD5500

In research: RAD5500 appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses RAD5500 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: RAD5500 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Avionics computers, BAE Systems, Computer-related introductions in 2012, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for RAD5500 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study RAD5500 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what RAD5500 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain RAD5500 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is RAD5500 in simple terms?

Why does RAD5500 matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study RAD5500?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on RAD5500.