Development of Space Qualified Signal Processing Readout Electronics for HabWorlds and Origins Space Telescope Detector and Arrays

TL;DR

This paper reports on developing space-qualified, radiation-hardened signal processing electronics for MKID detector readouts, crucial for future large-scale space telescopes like HabWorlds Observatory.

Contribution

It introduces a radiation-hardened FPGA-based readout system tailored to the PRIMA mission, supporting large detector arrays for upcoming space telescopes.

Findings

Successful implementation of algorithms on radiation-hardened FPGA

Hardware architecture aligned with space mission requirements

Firmware development meeting PRIMA's specifications

Abstract

The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) -- a flagship ultraviolet/optical/infrared space telescope recommended by the National Academies' Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics -- will require detector technologies capable of supporting significantly larger pixel-count arrays than previous missions. Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs), naturally suited to microwave multiplexing readout, are already in use across several balloon-borne missions with FPGA based systems. To transition this capability to space, we are developing a radiation-hardened detector readout system that builds directly on the technical and environmental requirements defined by the PRIMA mission. PRIMA serves as a critical pathfinder, informing the radiation tolerance, resource constraints, and on-board processing capabilities needed for HWO. In this work, we present our current results on algorithm implementation, hardware architecture, and firmware development using the radiation-hardened AMD Kintex Ultrascale FPGA, aligning with PRIMA's stringent specifications to ensure compatibility with future space-based observatories like HWO.