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SpaceinImages201402Integratedcircuitsonsiliconwafer
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INTEGRATED CIRCUITS ON SILICON WAFER

Siliconwafersetchedwith
integratedcircuitsforspace
missions
Released:13/02/2013
Rating

ESTECOpenDay2013

Released:07/10/2013
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TitleIntegratedcircuitsonsiliconwafer
Released27/02/201410:02am
CopyrightESAGuusSchoonewille
Description
Allofourmostskilledspacecapabilitiesdependultimatelyonanobjectsuchasthis.
Carefullywrappedinprotectiveantistaticandantishockfoampackaging,thissiliconwaferetchedwithintegrated
circuitsforspacemissionswasmanufacturedinanidenticalbatchof25,worthwellover2million.
This20cmdiameterwafercontains35replicasoffivedifferentspacechips,eachoneincorporatinguptoabout10
milliontransistorsorbasiccircuitswitches.

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SpaceinImages201402Integratedcircuitsonsiliconwafer

Laiddownwithinamicrochip,thesedesignsendowaspacemissionwithintelligence,andtheabilitytoperform
variousspecialisedtaskssuchasdatahandling,communicationsprocessingorattitudecontrol.
Tosavemoneyonthehighcostoffabrication,variouschipsdesignedbydifferentcompaniesanddestinedfor
multipleESAprojectsarecrammedontothesamesiliconwafers,etchedintoplaceatspecialisedsemiconductor
manufacturingplantsorfabs,inthiscaseLFoundry(formerlyAtmel)inFrance.
Oncetestedforfunctionality,thechipsonthewaferarechoppedupandpackagedforuse,thenmountedonprinted
circuitboardsforconnectionwithothermicroelectroniccomponentsaboardasatellite.
Since2002,ESAsMicroelectronicssectionhasmaintainedacatalogueofbuildingblocksforchipdesigns,knownas
IntellectualPropertycores,availabletoEuropeanindustrythroughESAlicence.Formoreinformation,checkhere.
Id304487

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Dertutenix
22/08/201403:23

Morethenmeetstheeye
Themostchallengingthingwithelectronicdevicesinspaceisthefactthatthereisaveryhardradiation
environmentplusvacuuminspaceandordinaryconsumerelectronicwouldnotlastformanysecondswithouta
needtorebootorevenhavefatalerrors.
Allelectronicusedonboardsatellitesandprobesundergoesanextremeexpensivequalificationprocess.
Alsothedesignhasredundancyinseveralaspects.
Stillsometimesthingsgowrongduetopoordesignlikea50centfuseblownupafter20minutes,thenthe
secondbackuphastheidenticalerrorandfinallythethirdandlastbackupcrapsupthesamewayandblowsup
aclosetobilliondollarmarsmission.Allthisbecausethisfusewasnotverifiedinvacuumenvironmenttesting.
Thatisanexpensivewayoflearningbydoing.Ithasapprovedalotsincethenbutsometimesthingsstillgo
wrongandtosendhumanbeingsintospaceisabitsuicidallikecliffjumpingorotherextremeadrenalinsoaked
sports.Stillthereisalwayssomeonereadytotaketherisk.Ahumanissuperiortoanyelectronicdeviceinthe
waythatitcanrepairitscellsandwithstandquitealotofthishardradiationforalongtime.Sometimesit
mightbecheapertosendsomintelligentbiomassnamedGordonintospacethanitwouldbetodevelopan
electronicelectromechanicunitwithanequivalentfunctionality.Thatswhytherehasbeenmannedmissions
tothemoonandplanedmannedmissionstothemars.Tothinkthatwedothiskindofthingsbythe
motivationtomakemarsournexthomeispurenonsense.
WearenotabletosolveourmajorproblemsonEarth.SayamissiontoMarscosts100000000000with
thatkindofmoneyandnocriminalmanagementfillingitspocketswecouldmakemiraclesrightoutsideour
fences.Themajorreasonweplaywiththiskindofmissionsandmoneyistomakesurethatthespaceindustry
anditsresearchersaregettingtheirpaychecksonaregularlybasis.

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