AMD has announced that its custom Versal chips will be used in the latest Starlink satellites to provide broadband satellite communications. Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, confirmed this information during the conference dedicated to the quarterly report.
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While AMD did not provide further details, it is known that the Versal AI Core chips are hybrid FPGAs (FPGAs) and can be customized according to customer needs, offering wireless acceleration and high performance for applications using artificial intelligence. According to PCMag, these chips are “suitable for applications that require low latency and real-time process control.” It is noted that in addition to aerospace companies, AMD sells Versal AI Core chips to telecommunications companies for use in 5G networks.
The head of AMD also announced the completion of the development of a new generation of Versal chips. According to her, the company recently completed the design of a chip codenamed Telluride, which will become part of the second-generation Versal family. These chips should provide up to 10 times more processing power and speed up AI applications, which the company believes will likely attract new customers, including SpaceX.
SpaceX itself has not yet commented on the use of AMD chips. However, on the company’s website you can find vacancies for specialists in the development of processors for Starlink satellites, which apparently suggests that SpaceX is also creating its own chips for satellite communications needs.