A sophisticated satellite-based system allows pinpointing a person’s location in a dangerous, isolated situation on land or sea. It thus hopefully speeds their subsequent rescue in many cases. You’ve undoubtedly seen or read stories about someone miraculously recused at sea or in some relatively uninhabited, remote part of the Earth, without a way to call […]
Aerospace and Defense
RF/optical hybrid modules work with VPX-based embedded computing systems
TE Connectivity is introducing its NanoRF optical hybrid modules for the defense industries VPX-based embedded computing systems that require increased bandwidth and radio frequency (RF) signaling. The new hybrid modules feature high-density RF and optical connections within common connector module applications like radar, electronic warfare (EW) missile guidance, and tactical communications, along with any other small […]
Rad-hard eFPGA IP works with 90-nm rad-hard fab process
QuickLogic Corporation announced it has teamed with SkyWater Technology to make a “fast boot” rad-hard eFPGA IP available to users of SkyWater’s 90 nm rad-hard (RH90) process. This technology can be embedded as an IP core in ASIC and SoC devices or implemented as a custom rad-hard FPGA for mission-critical and/or ruggedized applications. QuickLogic’s eFPGA […]
Small-form-factor Ethernet switch optimized for near earth orbit, low earth orbit missions
Aitech Systems now offers the space industry’s first standalone small form factor (SFF) Ethernet switch designed and tested for near-earth orbit (NEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) missions. The new S-A6640 is a managed Ethernet Switch/Router with 12x1GE copper ports and uses IP and Ethernet protocols to help significantly improve communication speeds while lowering costs and […]
Reaction wheels ensure satellites maintain the right attitude: Part 2
Electrically driven reaction wheels use conservation of angular momentum to keep a satellite pointed in the right direction, eliminating the need for fuel-powered and limited thrusters. Part 1 was an introduction to reaction wheel basics. This part continues the investigation into their performance and construction. Physics and analysis Although the basic principle of reaction wheels […]
Reaction wheels ensure satellites maintain the right attitude: Part 1
Electrically driven reaction wheels use conservation of angular momentum to keep a satellite pointed in the right direction, eliminating the need for fuel-powered and limited thrusters. Orbiting satellites usually must maintain a precise and stable orientation for various reasons: to keep their cameras or radar pointed at their Earth targets or to keep their telescopes […]
Rad-tolerant 2.5-in SSD holds up to 1 Tbytes
Aitech Systems has released the most compact network-attached storage (NAS) device available for use in near-earth orbit (NEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) space applications. The new S999 Aitech solid-state drive (ASSD) is a 2.5-inch solid-state drive (SSD) for high-performance spacecraft data processing or distributed computing systems in satellites and human-rated platforms. With a raw […]
XMC modules offer two, 10Gb Ethernet ports
Acromag’s new XMC633 module offers two independent 10-gigabit Ethernet interface ports with 10GBASE-KX4 protocol. The XMC mezzanine card mounts on VME, VPX, PCIe, and other embedded computing carrier boards. An industry-leading Intel XL710 Ethernet Controller provides high-performance network connectivity with advanced off-load and virtualization capabilities. The rear I/O model XMC633 routes two KX4 interfaces to the P16 […]
MEMS inertial accelerometers target spacecraft electronics testing
Silicon Designs, Inc. announced the global market launch of the Model 1527 Series, a family of miniature, radiation-tested, tactical-grade MEMS inertial accelerometers. Offered in three standard full-scale acceleration ranges, of ±10 g, ±25 g, and ±50 g, respectively, the Series is expressly designed to support a variety of critical space electronics testing requirements, including those […]
Specifying MCUs for satellites and spacecraft
There is not a single group of standards but a continuum of qualification criteria for the components and systems used in satellites and spacecraft (Figure 1). With the growth of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites where the environment is less demanding and where some satellites are expected to be replaced regularly with upgraded designs, the […]
