WvFEv3, An FPGA-based general purpose digital signal processor for space applications

The Waves instruments aboard the Juno and Radiation Belt Storm Probe (RBSP) spacecraft represents the next generation of space radio and plasma wave instrumentation developed by the University of Iowa's Radio and Plasma Wave group. The previous generation of such instruments on the Cassini spacecraft utilized several analog signal-conditioning techniques to compress and condense scientific data. Compression techniques are necessary because the plasma wave instruments can often generate significantly more science data than can be transmitted using the narrow telemetry channel of the hosting spacecraft. The next generation of plasma wave instrumentation represents a major shift of analog signal conditioning functionality to the digital domain, drastically reducing the amount of power and mass required by the instrument while simultaneously further condensing scientific data, increasing the precision of plasma emission measurements, and adding flexibility. The solution presented in this thesis is to utilize a low-cost radiation tolerant field programmable gate array (FPGA) that serves as a space qualified implementation platform for a custom designed general-purpose digital signal processor, called the WvFEv3.