On board processing: design drivers for a long product life cycle

[Abstract] As a follow up to a number of successful initiatives that have exploited the availability of flying On Board Processors for telecom satellites (i.e. the SkyPlex and the DVB-RCS OBMM processor), the increasing need has emerged for an architectural conception of the On Board Processor able to guarantee a long product life cycle without penalizing the functional and performance figures. This paper provides the design drivers that mainly need to be taken into account and introduces the guidelines for their exploitation in new generation satellite TLC networks. These design drivers are already being applied both in the convergence process of Alcatel Alenia Space and in the ongoing specification of broadband satellite missions requiring advanced processing and regeneration on board.