LVDS Front-End

About LVDS Front-End

The LVDS Front-End provides the Low-Voltage Differential Signaling Data/Clock interfaces (electrical and protocol) to satellite flight equipment and can be used on all assembly, integration, and testing (AIT) levels (bread-boarding, module, unit, instrument, panel, and satellite).

LVDS Front-end unit Celestia-STS C-STS
LVDS Back Angle Powered unit Celestia-STS C-STS
LVDS Back Angle Powered unit 3D Celestia-STS C-STS
LVDS Back Angle Powered unit inside Celestia-STS C-STS
LVDS Front-end unit Celestia-STS C-STS
LVDS Back Angle Powered unit Celestia-STS C-STS
LVDS Back Angle Powered unit 3D Celestia-STS C-STS
LVDS Back Angle Powered unit inside Celestia-STS C-STS

Typically, the LVDS Front-End connects to a Payload, Mass Memory Unit, Laser Communication Terminal or RF Transponders. It provides the (science) data interface between the various units, either on the main, redundant or bypass interfaces. This Front-End can operate as a data source (transmit), data sink (receiver) or both at the same time.

Key Features

  • Up to 4 Parallel Inputs and 4 Parallel Outputs (8-bits Data and Clock)
  • Up to a data rate of 1Gbsp per channel in each direction in 8- bit mode
  • Teaming of 2 channels (inputs or outputs) to 16-bit Parallel Interfaces supporting data rates up to 2Gbps
  • Input clocking more than 125MHz
  • Output clock programmable down to 1MHz and more than 125MHz in 1Hz steps
  • Hardware timestamping (CUC) of received data (synchronized to PPS or IRIG)
  • All LVDS I/O’s to/from the Unit Under Test (UUT) are electrically isolated
  • Optional Flow Control for all input and output channels supported
  • Gigabit LAN for Control and Monitoring via TCP/IP (using RJ45)
  • 10Gbit LAN for Data Streaming via TCP/IP (using SFP+)
  • Provided with a dedicated server to receive and store/archive the data to disk for further processing
  • TIA/EIA-644-A Compliant Interfaces
  • FMEA Report Available

Equipment Details

The system consists of a 19″ 2U rack-mountable unit that is controlled and monitored by a software application that allows the system to be used stand-alone or controlled via a remote interface over a network (typically by the Central Check-out System).

Providing up to four (4) bi-directional 8-bit LVDS channels or two (2) 16-bit LVDS channels, this Front-End interfaces directly to the unit under test (UUT) on one side using LVDS data/clock (front-end) and exchanges user data on the other side using a 10G TCP/IP streaming interface (back-end).

This Front-End enables the user to transmit or receive data (such as CCSDS Frames, Packets, etc.) to/from any source. Using a commercial server platform data recorded from the LVDS channel(s) is offloaded using a standard 10Gbit TCP/IP interface and stored to disk and vice-versa. The commercial 10Gbit ethernet interface allows both copper or optical interfaces between the Front-End and the server platform. This allows the data to be transported over long distances (300 meters or longer) between front- and back-end.

Proving electrically isolated LVDS interfaces, this Front-End provides satellite level fault voltage emissions and tolerances.