VITA 66 is an industry standard that adds optical connectivity to the VPX (VITA 46) architecture.
As an extension of VITA™ 65 OpenVPX, VITA™ 66 is a technical standard developed by the VITA (VMEbus International Trade Association) organization. Its primary purpose is to introduce blind mate optical connectors into the VPX ecosystem, allowing for high-speed optical communication alongside traditional electrical signals within the same backplane structure.
This standard specifies a compatible VPX interface that incorporates these optical links. A key feature of the VITA 66 implementation is the physical arrangement of the connectors:
- Fixed contacts are located on the Plug-In Module (the board or card).
- Floating displacement is provided on the backplane.
This design ensures reliable mating during system assembly, even when the module is inserted blind into the backplane slot.
By integrating fiber optic transceivers and cables directly into the VPX interface, VITA 66 significantly enhances the system's I/O density and provides improved and diversified connectivity options. This is particularly beneficial for applications requiring very high bandwidth, long-distance data transmission, or immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI), which are common in demanding environments like aerospace, defense, and industrial control.
In essence, VITA 66 standardizes the inclusion of optical fiber within the rugged and modular VPX architecture, enabling faster and more robust data transfer capabilities.
