VNX / Vita 74

VITA 74, also known as ANSI/VITA 74 or VNX, is a technical standard that defines the mechanical and electrical requirements for rugged, small-form-factor (SFF) embedded computing modules and systems.

VNX (VITA 74) is designed for extremely compact, lightweight, and power-constrained environments where size and efficiency are critical, such as portable robotics, drones, and small satellites.

The standard was designed to deliver highly compact, conduction-cooled modules (e.g., single-board computers, signal processors, I/O modules) for use in environments where space, weight, and power efficiency are critical—such as UAVs, portable robotics, drones, and small satellites and defense applications. VITA 74 applies proven technology and lessons learned from related standards like VPX (VITA 46) and OpenVPX (VITA 65), but adapts these for much smaller electronic modules commonly the size of a deck of cards.

VITA Recommendation:

While still in effect, VITA 74.0 is not recommended for new platforms. Instead, system designers are encouraged to migrate to VITA 90.0 VNX+ and associated dot standards for new designs.

VNX+ / VITA90

Overview:

VNX+ (VITA 90) builds on the VNX concept, significantly increasing system capabilities: it supports new high-speed connectors (up to 400 pins), higher power dissipation, and advanced cooling solutions (oscillating heat pipes, forced air, liquid-cooled heat exchangers).

The system can leverage PCIe Gen4, up to 100Gbps Ethernet, and dramatically expanded I/O bandwidth.

VNX+ modules also target high-performance applications like autonomous vehicles, defense sensor systems, and AI-driven edge processing in small form factors where previous solutions would have been insufficient.

VNX+ is formally recognized in modern open standards such as SOSA (Sensor Open Systems Architecture), making it interoperable and future-proof for demanding military and industrial applications.

Key Differences: