Project
ATSpace strengthens space electronics development with advanced Tektronix measurement solutions
Summary
Organisation: ATSpace
Challenge: Designing and validating electronics for extreme environments.
Solution: Advanced Tektronix instrumentation supported by CN Rood.
ATSpace is a Belgian engineering company specialized in the design, development, testing and qualification of high reliability electronic systems for space applications. With more than 25 years of experience, the company supports customers throughout the complete development cycle, from system architecture and PCB design to integration, manufacturing and testing. As Andy De Wilde, owner and director of ATSpace, explains: “Our expertise covers power, analogue, digital, mixed-signal and FPGA-based electronics and test systems, always with a strong focus on reliability, simplicity, and efficiency.” Supporting demanding customers such as Redwire Space and Antwerp Space, ATSpace develops electronic systems that must perform reliably under the harshest possible operating conditions.
The challenge
Designing and validating electronics for extreme environments
According to Andy De Wilde, “designing electronic systems for space applications is fundamentally different from standard electronics design because the hardware must operate reliably in extremely harsh and unforgiving environments, where repair or replacement is usually impossible.” Space electronics must survive high shock and vibration levels during launch, while also operating reliably under vacuum conditions, radiation exposure, extreme temperature variations, and long mission lifetimes.
These challenges significantly affect the complete engineering and validation process. ATSpace performs extensive simulations, worst-case analysis, EMC analysis, radiation analysis, vibration and thermal analysis, as well as detailed verification and qualification testing. As Andy explains, “the objective is not only to verify that the design works, but also to fully understand its behaviour and margins under all operational conditions.” This disciplined engineering approach requires highly accurate and repeatable measurements throughout all stages of development and debugging.
Photo: Andy De Wilde, director at ATSpace
The solution
Advanced Tektronix instrumentation supported by CN Rood
To support its development and validation activities, ATSpace uses advanced measurement solutions from Tektronix, supplied and supported by CN Rood. The company recently selected the Tektronix 4 Series MSO44B as a key instrument for debugging, characterization, and verification of complex analogue, digital, and mixed-signal systems.
Andy explains why the solution stood out: “The large touchscreen interface, intuitive operation, strong mixed-signal capabilities, and overall performance make it a very powerful and efficient instrument.” Features such as advanced triggering, mixed-signal analysis, and spectrum view functionality allow ATSpace engineers to simultaneously analyze time-domain and frequency-domain behaviour, which is particularly valuable during EMC investigations, switching analysis, and debugging of FPGA-based systems.
CN Rood also played an important advisory role during the selection process. Initially considering an older oscilloscope as a lower-cost option, ATSpace ultimately chose the newer Tektronix platform after technical consultation with CN Rood. According to Andy, “They did not simply propose equipment from a catalogue, but actively helped us evaluate the best technical and economical solution for our applications.”
The result
Faster debugging and greater confidence in verification
With the new Tektronix platform, ATSpace is now able to identify and analyze complex signal integrity and transient issues much faster and in far greater detail than before. The improved acquisition performance and triggering capabilities make it easier to detect short glitches, intermittent communication problems, power integrity disturbances, startup anomalies, and timing-related issues that are difficult to capture with older equipment.
The mixed-signal functionality and spectrum view capabilities also provide deeper insight into interactions between analogue and digital systems, helping engineers reduce debugging time and increase confidence during verification and validation activities. As Andy summarizes: “The improved visibility, analysis tools, and measurement performance significantly reduce debugging time and increase confidence during verification and validation activities.”
The collaboration with CN Rood further strengthened the project. ATSpace valued CN Rood’s technical knowledge, responsiveness, and customer support throughout the selection process. For companies developing complex, high reliability electronics, Andy concludes that “having both high-quality instrumentation and a knowledgeable local partner is definitely a major advantage.”
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