A RISC-V Multicore and GPU SoC Platform with a Qualifiable Software Stack for Safety Critical Systems

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel RISC-V based multicore and GPU platform designed for space systems, integrating a qualifiable software stack to enable high-performance AI workloads in safety-critical applications.

Contribution

It introduces a new hardware architecture combining space-grade processors, AI accelerators, and GPUs, along with a multi-layered software stack for safety-critical space missions.

Findings

First hardware platform with RISC-V, GPU, and space-grade processors for space applications.

Supports multiple software options for different safety criticality levels.

Enables high-performance AI processing in safety-critical space systems.

Abstract

In the context of the Horizon Europe project, METASAT, a hardware platform was developed as a prototype of future space systems. The platform is based on a multiprocessor NOEL-V, an established space-grade processor, which is integrated with the SPARROW AI accelerator and connected to a GPU, Vortex. Both processing systems follow the RISC-V specification. This is a novel hardware architecture for the space domain as the use of massive parallel processing units, such as GPUs, is starting to be considered for upcoming space missions due to the increased performance required to future space-related workloads, in particular, related to AI. However, such solutions are only currently adopted for New Space, since their limitations come not only from the hardware, but also from the software, which needs to be qualified before being deployed on an institutional mission. For this reason, the METASAT platform is one of the first endeavors towards enabling the use of high performance hardware in a qualifiable environment for safety critical systems. The software stack is based on baremetal, RTEMS and the XtratuM hypervisor, providing different options for applications of various degrees of criticality.