SpaceFibre:GBIT/S links for use on board spacecraft

SpaceFibre is a very high-speed serial communications link being designed for use on spacecraft. It connects high data-rate payloads into the onboard data-handling system. SpaceFibre is designed to operate at speeds of 2.5 Gbits/s or higher depending on the specific driver/receiver technology used. It is also designed to operate seamlessly with a SpaceWire network with a single SpaceFibre link being able to carry data from many SpaceWire links. This paper provides an introduction to SpaceFibre and describes the work done by University of Dundee in developing a SpaceFibre prototype. The paper is aimed at spacecraft system engineers and product managers and will show how SpaceFibre fills a growing gap in onboard communications links for spacecraft, which is being widened by the high data-rate demands of new instruments. It will conclude with an overview of the current state of the SpaceFibre data-link definition and its supporting technologies