ApplicationsHARDSIL®-based productsare an ideal solution for...

Applications

HARDSIL®-based productsare an ideal solution for applications in Aerospace & Defense as well as in the Industrial markets. All those applications require unique semiconductor solutions to withstand the conditions found in harsh environments.

Satellite systemsrequiring radiation performance on various levels for deep space and long-life missions

Defense electronics systemsrequiring robust performance and military grade specifications

Small satellitesthat require robust radiation-hardness on a challenging budget

Commercial aerospace systemsrequiring extreme temperature capabilities and benefit from radiation robustness

International Space Station

NINE HARDSIL® based die are located on the STP-H5 (Space Test Program – Houston 5) assembly located on the International Space Station to measure effects of protons and cosmic rays. The system was created by Cosmiac in conjunction with NASA Johnson and AFRL (Air Force Research Laboratory) and consists of the VORAGO Technologies PA32KAS MCU, a stack of four 18Mb VORAGO Technologies SRAMs and four Texas Instruments 16Mb SRAM devices processed using HARDSIL© technology. The same nine-die chipset is also operating in Sun-synchronous orbit aboard STPSat-5 and will be used on STPSat-6 in 2019.

International Space Station

NINE HARDSIL® based die are located on the STP-H5 (Space Test Program – Houston 5) assembly located on the International Space Station to measure effects of protons and cosmic rays. The system was created by Cosmiac in conjunction with NASA Johnson and AFRL (Air Force Research Laboratory) and consists of the VORAGO Technologies PA32KAS MCU, a stack of four 18Mb VORAGO Technologies SRAMs and four Texas Instruments 16Mb SRAM devices processed using HARDSIL© technology. The same nine-die chipset is also operating in Sun-synchronous orbit aboard STPSat-5 and will be used on STPSat-6 in 2019.

CubeSat

The VORAGO VA10820 microcontroller is designed into many CubeSats. The MCU has been used as a payload, in the power management system and in the OBC as either the main processor or as a watchdog.

The VA10820 microcontroller is currently operating on the Astranis satellite DemoSat- 2, which was launched on the PSLV-C40 polar satellite launch vehicle in January 2018. The spacecraft was designed to demonstrate Astranis’ software-defined radio technology and is currently successfully operating in low Earth orbit.

The VA10820 is also operating on the TechEdSat-8 CubeSat.

Satellites

VORAGO’s HARDSIL® technology is at the heart of two further missions, STPSat-5 launched in December 2018 and STPSat-6. Both of these satellites are part of the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program (STP).

STPSat-6 is planned for 2020 and will be in a Geosynchronous orbit. Several scientific payloads will be included on the satellite that is based upon Orbital ATK’s A500 bus, intended for a design life of 2 – 7 years.

In conjunction with AFRL (Air Force Research Laboratory) and Texas Instruments, VORAGO Technologies implemented HARDSIL® technology to radiation harden high-density SRAMs for space applications. VORAGO solved the major space radiation problems, Single Event Effects (SEEs), Total Ionizing Dose (TID) and Dose Rate by combining HARDSIL© process modifications and layout design innovations. These devices are used in the STP missions.

The VA10820 microcontroller is used in a next-generation X-ray telescope system as a system monitor and configuration solution. This is a popular use-case for the MCU, alongside an FPGA. This development by Penn State is an enhancement over the existing X-ray telescope used in NASA’s Swift mission.

Oil & Gas

The VA10800 200°C microcontroller, pictured below, has been used in multiple high temperature downhole drilling and well management applications. The guarantee of high temperature operation by design has proven to be an attractive alternative to using up-screened devices that were not designed to operate at extreme temperature.

VORAGO partnered with PetroMar and Analog Devices to develop a high temperature data acquisition evaluation and reference design kit HT_DAB-1, to simplify development of extreme temperature electronics. The PCB is compatible with a downhole system form factor and comes complete with development software and PC GUI software.