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Most expensive CPU in the world, Curiositys RAD750.

G

grimpr

Golden Member
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The RAD750 is a radiation-hardened single board computer manufactured by BAE Systems Electronic Solutions. The successor of the RAD6000, the RAD750 is for use in high radiation environments such as experienced on board satellites and spacecraft. The RAD750 was released in 2001, with the first units launched into space in 2005.

The CPU has 10.4 million transistors, nearly an order of magnitude more than the RAD6000 (which had 1.1 million). It is manufactured using either 250 or 150 nm photolithography and has a die area of 130 mm² It has a core clock of 110 to 200 MHz and can process at 266 MIPS or more. The CPU can include an extended L2 cache to improve performance. The CPU itself can withstand 200,000 to 1,000,000 rads (2,000 to 10,000 gray), temperature ranges between –55 °C and 125 °C and requires 5 watts of power. The standard RAD750 single-board system (CPU and motherboard) can withstand 100,000 rads (1,000 gray), temperature ranges between –55 °C and 70 °C and requires 10 watts of power.

The RAD750 system has a price that is comparable to the RAD6000 which is US$200,000 per board (per 2002 reference). However customer program requirements and quantities will greatly affect the final unit costs.

The RAD750 is based on IBM's PowerPC 750. Its packaging and logic functions are completely compatible with the PowerPC 7xx family.
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Looks like a good overclocker to me.:biggrin: but US$200,000 for a chip and its board?, thats ridiculous! What kind of manufacturing or special materials they use to produce such a thing?
 
If I recall right, the smallest processnode useable in space is 90nm. Since cosmic radiation will affect the smaller nodes and flip bits.
 
So you won't be able to use an iPad when flying to Mars? Damn. Need a spacecraft with strong magnetic poles.
 
grimpr said:
US$200,000 for a chip and its board?, thats ridiculous! What kind of manufacturing or special materials they use to produce such a thing?
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It's not because of manufacturing or materials. It's because of R&D. They only sell a couple hundred or thousand of these tops, while it still takes millions to pay the engineers to design and test them.
 
I thought intel had knights corner? Isnt that a quarter of a million dollars?

I used to be an intern at BAE, they have some REALLY stupid people working for them.
 
ShintaiDK said:
If I recall right, the smallest processnode useable in space is 90nm. Since cosmic radiation will affect the smaller nodes and flip bits.
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Well, I think someday all manufacturing will have advanced beyond 90nm. Can't they just harden some sort of outside shielding around all the electronics? A 3" thick box of some metal should do a pretty good job of moderating radiation.
 
Fox5 said:
Well, I think someday all manufacturing will have advanced beyond 90nm. Can't they just harden some sort of outside shielding around all the electronics? A 3" thick box of some metal should do a pretty good job of moderating radiation.
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lol and how much that will weight??!?!?!?!?
well they could always increase the size
ot try to be inovative and actually improve ipc
 
Fox5 said:
Well, I think someday all manufacturing will have advanced beyond 90nm. Can't they just harden some sort of outside shielding around all the electronics? A 3" thick box of some metal should do a pretty good job of moderating radiation.
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They wont. Also you would be surprised how much is even made on 180nm today. besides Intel, highend process nodes only account for a few % of the capacity at foundries. While I dont have the current numbers. I dont even think 65nm and below accounts for more than 25% at TSMC for example.

Even for Glofo, only ~25% is 45nm or lower.

3" is also easily penetrated.
 
Last edited:
Plimogz said:
Reading comprehension failure.
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From the original article...

Rad-tolerant RAD750 specifications
Technology
– 0.25 μm radiation-hardened bulk CMOS
Speed
– 110 to 132 MHz
Radiation-hardness
– Total dose: 200 Krad (Si)
– SEU: <1.6 E-10 errors/bit-day
(90% W. C. GEO)
– Latchup-immune
Performance
– >260 Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS at 132 MHz
Temperature range
– -55°C to +125°C
Packaging
– 360-pin ceramic package with column
grid array (CGA)
FEATURES AND CAPABILITIES
Rad-hard RAD750 specifications
Technology
– 0.15 &#956;m radiation-hardened bulk CMOS
Speed
– 200 MHz
Radiation-hardness
– Total dose: 1Mrad (Si)
– SEU: <1.6 E-10 errors/bit-day
(90% W. C. GEO)
– Latchup-immune
Performance
– >400 Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS at 200 MHz
Temperature range
– -55°C to +125°C
Packaging
– 360-pin ceramic package with CGA
BAE Systems

So yes it is produced on both 250nm and 150nm nodes... though the link doesn't specify the die size.
 
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