IN-FLIGHT RECONFIGURABLE FPGA BASED ELECTRONICS FOR INTEGRAL IMAGER PROTOTYPE

This paper: describes the unprecedented implementation of ''in-flight' ' reconfigurable on-board data handling electronics using reprogrammab le FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) technology. The electronics de sign was realized for a prototype of the Imager for the INTEGRAL missi on that is an ESA ''Horizon 2000'' long term plan, now in the second s election cycle (M2). The Imager prototype was developed by an internat ional collaboration, and was flown successfully on a balloon from Fort -Sumner, New-Mexico in October 93. The purpose of this reconfigurable electronics was to demonstrate a new engineering approach that would r educe the cost of mass and power of the payload. The accomplishment of using a flexible structure in an instrument prototype combined with t he demonstration of high performance during hostile environmental flig ht conditions is presented.