  The DAMPE (DArk Matter Particle Explorer) is a scientific satellite being
developed in China, aimed at cosmic ray study, gamma ray astronomy, and
searching for the clue of dark matter particles, with a planned mission period
of more than 3 years and an orbit altitude of about 500 km. The BGO
Calorimeter, which consists of 308 BGO (Bismuth Germanate Oxid) crystal bars,
616 PMTs (photomultiplier tubes) and 1848 dynode signals, has approximately 32
radiation lengths. It is a crucial sub-detector of the DAMPE payload, with the
functions of precisely measuring the energy of cosmic particles from 5 GeV to
10TeV, distinguishing positrons/electrons and gamma rays from hadron
background, and providing trigger information for the whole DAMPE payload. The
dynamic range for a single BGO crystal is about 2?105 and there are 1848
detector signals in total. To build such an instrument in space, the major
design challenges for the readout electronics come from the large dynamic
range, the high integrity inside the very compact structure, the strict power
supply budget and the long term reliability to survive the hush environment
during launch and in orbit. Currently the DAMPE mission is in the end of QM
(Qualification Model) stage. This paper presents a detailed description of the
readout electronics for the BGO calorimeter.
