RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO - Rad-Tolerant FPGA 250kG CQ208 | Microchip
MPN: RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
RTAX250S-1CQ208PROTO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
RTAX250SL-1CQ208PROTO
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet βRTAX250SL-CQ208
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
AX250S-CQ208
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
AX250SL-CQ208
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | RTAX-S/SL Radiation-Tolerant FPGAs |
| Equivalent System Gates | 250,000 gates |
| ASIC Gates (module) | 30,000 gates |
| CLBs | 2816 |
| Logic Cells | 4224 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.425 V to 1.575 V (1.5 V nominal) |
| Process Technology | CMOS |
| Configuration Technology | Antifuse (one-time programmable) |
| Package | CQ208 (208-pin ceramic) |
| Radiation Tolerance | Radiation-tolerant (space-flight grade family) |
| Embedded Memory | Embedded SRAM with built-in FIFO control logic |
| Clocking | Segmentable clocks, chip-wide highway routing |
| Configuration State | Live at power-up, single-chip form factor |
| Prototyping Flow | Libero SoC conversion to Axcelerator device (AC170) |
| Supported Prototyping Adaptor | Aldec ACT-H600-CQ208 |
| Speed Grade | Standard (non -1) per ordering code |
RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO cq208 (208-pin ceramic) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO (cq208 (208-pin ceramic) package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Safe Operating Area (SOA) & Thermal Characteristics
No official SOA curve available for this digital IC. Always operate within absolute maximum ratings specified in the datasheet. Ensure adequate cooling and derate as needed.
Typical Applications
RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO is suitable for 6 applications: Satellite Payload Data Processing, Spacecraft Bus Control, Orbital Instrument Interfaces, Launch Vehicle Avionics, New Space LEO Constellations, Space Heritage Upgrades and Obsolescence Redesign.
Satellite Payload Data Processing
The RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO fits satellite payload processing because its 250,000 equivalent gates, 2,816 CLBs, and antifuse live-at-power-up configuration deliver deterministic logic that requires no external configuration device in orbit. Designers prototype the payload algorithm on this PROTO unit with the Aldec ACT-H600-CQ208 flash-based adaptor, converting the Libero SoC design to an Axcelerator flow per application note AC170, then order flight RTAX250S silicon on the identical CQ208 footprint. The embedded SRAM with built-in FIFO control handles telemetry buffering, while segmentable clocks manage multiple payload clock domains. The trade-off is one-time programmability: any logic change after flight-lot commitment requires new silicon, so full simulation and timing closure on the RTAX250S target is mandatory.
Recommended
Spacecraft Bus Control
Spacecraft bus controllers benefit from the RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO's single-chip form factor and 1.5V nominal CMOS core, which Microchip identifies as delivering the low-power consumption critical for power-limited spacecraft. In this role the FPGA implements OBC glue logic, housekeeping interfaces, and watchdog functions. The PROTO unit allows the bus-control design to be exercised on an adaptor board through the documented Libero SoC conversion flow before flight-lot purchase. With 4,224 logic cells and chip-wide highway routing, the device integrates multiple legacy interface blocks into one ceramic-packaged component, reducing board area and solder joints - both reliability drivers in launch environments. Timing verification must be completed on the RTAX-S device itself because the reverse prototyping flow is not permitted.
Recommended
Orbital Instrument Interfaces
Scientific instruments aboard orbital platforms use the RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO to prototype detector interface logic where antifuse immunity to configuration upsets matters more than reprogrammability. The 250,000-gate capacity accommodates ADC framing, CCD clock sequencing, and downlink formatting simultaneously, while the 1.425V-to-1.575V core tolerance suits tightly regulated spacecraft power rails. Prototyping on this PROTO device with the ACT-H600-CQ208 adaptor lets instrument teams iterate HDL on reprogrammable flash silicon, then freeze the netlist for flight RTAX250S units. The 208-pin ceramic CQ208 package supports hermetic sealing required by many instrument assemblies. Design teams should budget the one-directional conversion constraint into their schedule, since place-and-route and simulation must conclude on the RTAX target before conversion.
Recommended
Launch Vehicle Avionics
Launch avionics demand logic that is live at power-up with zero configuration latency - exactly what the RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO's antifuse technology provides, and why Microchip markets RTAX-S as the FPGA of choice for space-flight systems. Flight-control and telemetry acquisition blocks, sized within 2,816 CLBs, are prototyped on this unit and qualified against the RTAX-S timing model using Libero SoC before flight silicon is ordered on the same CQ208 footprint. Segmentable clocks support redundant, cross-strapped clock domains common in launch architectures. Because avionics programs face strict schedule gates, engineers should submit PROTO and flight-unit orders together; Octopart lists only one distributor source as of 2026-09-02, so long lead times should be anticipated for both prototype and flight hardware.
Recommended
New Space LEO Constellations
LEO constellation developers use the RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO during the design phase of radiation-tolerant avionics that will ultimately fly RTAX250S silicon on high-volume satellite buses. The PROTO device on an Aldec ACT-H600-CQ208 adaptor provides a reprogrammable, flash-based development vehicle while preserving pinout fidelity to the flight CQ208 footprint, so PCB layouts migrate directly to flight hardware. The 1.5V core and CMOS process keep orbital power budgets predictable, and the antifuse configuration eliminates the SEU-prone external configuration memories used by SRAM FPGAs. Constellation teams should note the trade-off: prototyping requires completing pin assignment, place-and-route, and simulation on the RTAX-S design, which lengthens iteration cycles compared to fully reprogrammable flows but guarantees flight-netlist fidelity.
Recommended
Space Heritage Upgrades and Obsolescence Redesign
Programs migrating legacy spaceflight boards from older rad-hard PLDs to a modern FPGA fabric adopt the RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO to prototype replacement logic before committing to flight RTAX250S devices. The 250,000-gate, 4,224-logic-cell capacity plus 30,000 ASIC module gates absorbs legacy glue logic, bus interfaces, and sequencers that previously occupied multiple components. The documented Microchip-Aldec prototyping solution - a flash-based ProASIC3E adaptor programmed through Libero SoC netlist conversion - replicates the OTP behavior of the final antifuse part during validation. Because the CQ208 ceramic package suits existing hermetic board designs, footprint-compatible migration shortens qualification. Teams should re-verify timing in Libero SoC on the RTAX250S model, as the commercial Axcelerator conversion is a development aid, not a flight qualification path.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for RTAX250S-CQ208PROTO β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | RTAX250S-1CQ208PROTO | RTAX250SL-1CQ208PROTO | AX250S-CQ208 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology (Actel/Microsemi) | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | ||
| Package | CQ208 (208-pin ceramic) | CQ208 - same | CQ208 - same | CQ208 - same | CQ208 - same | CQ208 - same |
| Equivalent System Gates | 250,000 | 250,000 | 250,000 | 250,000 | 250,000 | 250,000 |
| CLBs / Logic Cells | 2816 / 4224 | 2816 / 4224 | 2816 / 4224 | 2816 / 4224 | 2816 / 4224 | 2816 / 4224 |
| Speed Grade | Standard | -1 (faster) | -1 (faster) | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Radiation Tolerance | Yes (RTAX-S rad-tolerant) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (commercial) | No (commercial) |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.425 V to 1.575 V (1.5 V nominal) | 1.425 V to 1.575 V | 1.425 V to 1.575 V | 1.425 V to 1.575 V | 1.425 V to 1.575 V | 1.425 V to 1.575 V |
| Configuration Technology | Antifuse OTP (live at power-up) | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP |
| Typical Use | Spaceflight design prototyping | High-speed spaceflight prototyping | Low-power spaceflight prototyping | SL flight design | Commercial logic design | Low-power commercial design |
Key Differentiators
- Radiation-tolerant antifuse fabric with live-at-power-up operation (vs AX250S-CQ208)
- Faster -1 speed grade available in the same footprint (vs RTAX250S-1CQ208PROTO)
- Lower-power SL process option on the same footprint (vs RTAX250SL-1CQ208PROTO)
Design Notes
The prototyping flow is strictly one-directional: per Microchip application note AC170, Libero SoC converts the RTAX-S/SL design to a compatible Axcelerator device and package, and the reverse flow is not permitted. All pin assignment, place-and-route, timing verification, and simulation must be completed using the RTAX250S-CQ208 target device before conversion. Never validate timing on the Axcelerator model and assume it holds for the RTAX part.
The core supply must remain within 1.425V to 1.575V around the 1.5V nominal rail. Spacecraft power distributions with transients should use local point-of-load regulation with adequate bulk capacitance at the CQ208 power pins. Follow the Microchip RTAX-S/SL datasheet (ds2169) power-supply sequencing and decoupling guidance; antifuse devices draw configuration current only once at the factory, so runtime power is purely logic-activity dependent.
Design the PCB land pattern directly against the flight RTAX250S-CQ208 footprint so prototype and flight units mount identically. When using the Aldec ACT-H600-CQ208 reprogrammable adaptor, allocate board space or a mechandised socket strategy for the adaptor, and confirm the supported device list: RTAX250S-CQ208, RTAX250SL-CQ208, AX250S-CQ208, and AX250SL-CQ208 are documented as compatible on this adaptor.
Assign I/O with the final RTAX250S-CQ208 pinout constraints from the start, even during bench bring-up on the adaptor. Because the antifuse device is one-time programmable, any pin relocation discovered late in prototyping forces a new place-and-route run and potentially new flight silicon. Reserve spare CQ208 I/O for test points and future interface growth in the initial constraint file.
Compliance Information
Compliance data was not stated in retrieved distributor listings. Ceramic aerospace packaging may be subject to RoHS exemptions; consult official Microchip environmental documentation for RTAX250S before program qualification.
