Silicon in Space : The Liaison Between Electronics and Rising Space Exploration

Have you ever explored Google Earth and been amazed to see your driveway on it with distinct clarity? Or, ever wondered how a rover, 140 million miles away, can still be controlled smoothly from Earth? How does one know if a satellite actually made it to orbit?

The game of 'signals’ is what makes this all possible, and, while not the sole enabler, electronics has undoubtedly been the ‘life force’ behind every space mission, big or small. In this article, we’ll have a comprehensive glance at the liaison between electronics and the space industry.

Space Tech - Then vs Now:

Sputnik 1’—the first-ever man-made satellite—was launched on October 4, 1957. In these 67 years of voyage, this industry has seen both smooth and violent waters but has managed to grow exponentially. For instance, the Apollo Guidance Computer (under Apollo 11) in 1967 featured an OBC (on-board computer) with 4 KB RAM & 72 KB ROM. On the other hand, modern OBCs like Honeywell’s Spacecraft On-Board Computer feature up to 32 MB (8000x increase) radiation-hardened SRAM & 4 MB EEPROM (~55x increase).

The technological developments, increasing applications of satellites and more ambitious exploration programs have led to a significant increase in the number of space missions globally. A total of 223 orbital launches took place in 2023, compared to 81 launches in 2013. Furthermore, the global space economy stood at $ 570 billion in 2023, which is a massive increase compared to the $ 304 billion in 2013 (according to Space Foundation). In line with the overall trend in space expenditure, the Space Electronics market is expected to hit USD 1.6 billion in 2024

While rovers, probes, and manned missions steal all the eyeballs, interestingly, 2/3 of the total demand generated for space electronics is driven by something that generally eludes the public eye—satellites.

Technological Advancements Driving Growth:

Durability, reliability, power management, and radiation-hardness along with the affordability of the components are the biggest concerns of the space industry. However, the industry’s commitment to technological advancements has proven to defy these challenges with perfection.

Miniaturization: The miniaturization of electronic components over the years has greatly helped the space industry. Smaller components with reduced weight result in cost reductions due to their lighter takeoff weight, ultimately saving dollars in the mission budget. Moreover, as it is possible to embed a large number of miniaturized electronic components in the same area, more powerful processors are embedded into the spacecraft, enabling them to handle sophisticated computational problems efficiently.

Additionally, the introduction of smaller electronic components has enabled the concept of small satellites with lower development costs. Vanguard, the smallest satellite launched by NASA in 1957, weighed around 1.47 kg. On the other hand, the miniaturization of the components has enabled the development of satellites weighing as low as 10-100 gms (femtosats—not currently used commercially as an independent unit but potentially of independent utility following further research & development). Additionally, the cost of placing a satellite into orbit has fallen from $ 85,216 per kg in 1981 (Space Shuttle) to $ 951 per kg in 2020 (Falcon Heavy).

Power Efficiency: As the components shrink, they can operate at lower voltages and produce less operating heat, improving the overall heat management of the electronic systems. Such components are well-compatible with micro-photovoltaic cells installed in small satellites. Moreover, advanced technical developments in power equipment have been carried out regularly by the industry. Radioisotope Thermoelectric generators (RTGs), Maximum Power Point Controllers (MPPTs), Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells, etc are some of the examples.

Advancements in Radiation-Hardened Electronics: The durability and reliability of electronic components have always been top priorities for the space industry. The electronics used in the satellites, SLVs, or Rovers must be able to deliver reliable and accurate outcomes in harsh space environments. As the space industry pursues more ambitious missions to distant planets and into deep space (like manned missions on Mars and beyond), the need for high efficiency and robust rad-hard electronics is certain to grow. Some examples of radiation-hardened electronics include the RAD750 Processor (TID hardness of up to 1000k rads, housed in NASA’s Curiosity Rover), Mongoose V (TID hardness of at least 300k rad, housed in NASA’s EO-I), etc.

Components Impacting the Space Electronics:

The ongoing research and development in space electronics have given birth to several innovations with pressing impacts on the industry. Let’s have a glance at some of the intriguing innovations in the industry:

ROSA (Roll Out Solar Arrays): NASA installed lightweight and flexible solar arrays named ‘Roll Out Solar Arrays (ROSA)’ on the ISS in 2017. ROSA is lightweight & flexible, meaning it can be rolled like a carpet to form a cylinder-like structure, solving space constraints in missions during launch.

Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs): A Charge-Coupled Device is an IC that converts photons into electrons to capture an image. Though invented in 1969, Charge-coupled technology revolutionised image processing capabilities and is the core of space imagery even today for high-quality image processing.

Active Phased Arrays: In Active Phased Array antennas, the direction of signal reception/transmission can be changed without physically moving the antenna. It allows beam forcing & beam steering & offers less power consumption, less weight, reduced cost and greater reliability compared to mechanically steered antennas. Conceptualized back in the 1960s, the technology gradually saw maturation and became actively used in the space industry after around 2010. The technology was used in various prominent missions in the recent past such as the Iridium NEXT constellation (66 operational satellites) in 2017-19, SpaceX’s Starlink constellation in 2019, etc.

Iodine Electric Propulsion System: ThrustMe, a startup based in France, developed the propulsion system and launched the first iodine-propelled satellite into space in November 2019. Iodine has an atomic mass similar to Xenon (conventionally used for propulsion) and a lower ionisation threshold, iodine-based Propulsion Systems are being implemented in small satellites. Many researchers say this system is 50% more power-efficient than Xenon-based systems. Last year, the Norwegian Space Agency’s NorSat-TD satellite fitted with a ThrustMe NPT30-I2 was successfully launched onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Cassiopeia of the Space-Electronics Industry:

Microchip Technology, Cobham Plc, Texas Instruments, Honeywell International, & BAE Systems Plc collectively hold approximately 60% of the total Space Electronics market globally.

Image: Key Players and Capabilities in Space Electronics Market

Keeping in line with the demand in the market, all of the above-mentioned players have sufficient capabilities in rad-hard component manufacturing since ~65% of the demand is for rad-hard components, according to Stratview Research. Except for BAE Systems, the other 4 top players already have a strong portfolio of radiation-tolerant products as well.

Microchip Technology, Texas Instruments & Honeywell International are headquartered in the USA while Cobham Plc & BAE Systems are in the United Kingdom. However, all the key players have their major geographical presence in the North American region, taking into account the hefty expenditure by the USA in space programs. For instance, the government of the USA spent around 73.2 billion USD on space programs in 2023. The USA accounts for >50% share in the space electronics market, followed by Russia with <10% share.

Some recent, notable product launches from the key players include:

Table: Significant products launched by major players recently

Way Forward:

Due to their high application, ease, and affordability of launch, satellites have been launched rapidly in recent times. As of June 19, 2024, there were 10,019 active satellites in orbit (according to Look Up Space), nearly double from 5,500 in 2022. Of these 10,019 satellites, 6646 belong to Starlink due to rising satellite-led internet subscribers. It is forecasted that an average of 2,800 satellites will be launched annually between 2023-2032 (source: EuroConsult)

This increasing demand for communication, observation, and scientific applications makes satellites the biggest demand generator for space electronics. Electronic developments like miniaturisation, the advancements of radiation-hardened materials, and developments in sensors and other equipment have enabled more ambitious missions and boosted efficiency and affordability.

As the space industry continues to accelerate down the lane of satellites and other exploration ambitions, the space electronics industry’s future looks technologically and commercially propelling faster than ever.