Expansion Profile

The Expansion Profile describes a board that provides new capabilities and/or additional resources that would otherwise not be available in standard node instantiations. These modules are not intended to operate standalone and will usually not have individual processing capabilities. Rather, these boards will be populated with components that allow for expanded capacity (for example, connecting memory modules to a CH node), expanded communications (for example, breaking out SpaceWire signals to an externally accessible connector), or both.

The expansion module will be designed as a board with at least one primary connector and the desired expansion capability. Two examples of expansion currently utilized in JAS are the Mezzanine and Rear Transition Module.

Mezzanine Card

JAS Mezzanine cards provide a flexible node expansion capability. All node types support board and I/O expansion, prototyping, and modularity through the use of Mezzanine cards. Mezzanine cards can be utilized to provide:

• Additional board memory

• Analog to Digital (ADC) interface

• Sensor interface

• Additional off board I/O capability

Rear Transition Module

For JAS architectures adopting the VPX standard, the Rear Transition Module (RTM) provides an additional method for interfacing with a node through the backplane interface.