Enabling & Support
25/03/2025 2views 0likes
In brief
New contract leads European Space Agency initiative for Ultra Deep Sub-Micron Semiconductor Technology for space.
In-depth
A new 8 million Euro contract has recently been signed between Gaisler and the European Space Agency as part of the General Support Technology Programme’s EEE component.
The Electrical, Electronic and Electromechanical (EEE) components are the fundamental building blocks of any spacecraft and help determine its performance and reliability over the lifetime of the mission. This contract, the largest so far in the GSTP component, will support the development of Ultra-Deep Sub-Micron Microchip technology, one of several key technology lines being matured through the initiative EEE Space Component Sovereignty for Europe.
Specifically, the activity will establish an ultra-deep submicron technologies foundation and platform, providing all of the building blocks that will be used in the world’s most sophisticated integrated circuits for space, such as microprocessors, fostering European sovereignty.
“Essentially, microprocessors can be seen as the brain of the satellite,” explains Olivier Perat, lead engineer for the EEE GSTP component. Very complex functions are realised by those products and each function requires highly skilled specialists to really develop it, to have the best performance possible.”
Inner space engineering
Currently, space-qualified microprocessors are manufactured with 65nm, and soon this will be shortened to just 28nm but within the frame of the GSTP EEE component the goal is to push toward 22nm and 7nm. Once the size of the transistor is shortened makes them faster and less power-hungry.
“When we have all these building blocks we can begin to create the actual microprocessor, with the best performances possible,” he continues.
On ground it is already possible to move around 400 Gb/s on the standard home internet connection, while in data centres the rates are closer to 800Gb/s.
“ Today with current technologies we can reach data rates of around 6 to 12 gigabits per second (Gb/s). Tomorrow with the 22 nm we aim for with this contract we can target maybe 56 Gb/s and when we go to 7nm we can go to up to 112 Gb/s. So, the data will be multiplied by 20, basically.”
A 7nm chip was used in the previous generation of smart phones, while a 3nm is standard in current phones. “With this activity we aren’t behind in space by two or three generations, we’re almost up to speed,” Olivier Perat shares.
Ultimately this means everything a satellite is capable of doing will become faster. If the satellite takes a picture then it can be decided in space if that image is good enough or which data needs to be transmitted, it will reduce the amount of data you have to exchange, or it will make it possible to exchange more data overall in the same time.
“ESA is proud to support this groundbreaking initiative, which represents a critical step toward European sovereignty in advanced semiconductor technologies for space,” says Boris Glass, Technical Officer at ESA. “By investing in Ultra Deep Sub-Micron processes such as 7 nm FinFET CMOS technology, we are ensuring that Europe remains at the forefront of space innovation and autonomy, securing the technology necessary for next-generation space exploration and satellite constellations. This collaboration with Frontgrade Gaisler and its industry partners is essential to meet the growing demands of the space sector and strengthen Europe’s capabilities in the global arena.”
The General Support Technology Programme has funded the EEE component since 2022. Gaining European sovereignty over Electrical, Electronic and Eletromechanical (EEE) components will facilitate European competitiveness, provide state-of-the-art technologies and support the space economy. EEE components are the fundamental building blocks of all spacecraft and help define the performance of a spacecraft over its mission lifetime.
Volatility in the global microprocessor market is endangering the future availability of these EEE parts. The component will reduce the dependence of Europe's space sector on non-European component suppliers, focusing on one of the building blocks of space missions – EEE components. It will ensure a stable, predictable development and procurement approach for key technologies across a five-year period, facilitating sustainable European supply lines. The next stage for this project will also include AI and Edge computing.
The contract was won by Frontgrade Gaisler in collaboration with Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre vzw (IMEC) and IMST GmbH, each a leader in Europe for microelectronics and high performance microprocessors and semiconductors.
Like
Thank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!