Technical Advancements in Electronic Components is Generating the Demand for Light-Weight Space Products
Electronic components, which are equipped in satellites, launch vehicles, and deep space probes, hold huge importance, and require verification and testing in order to ensure their functionality. This is largely due to high degree of radiations in the space environment. Space contains high level of radiations that can potentially cause anomalies in the space electronics components operability. Single-event effects (SEEs), Electrostatic discharge (ESD), total ionizing dose (TID), and cumulative radiation damage are the major concerns for the space electronics market. Therefore, component designing is done in such ways that electrical components can operate and survive reliably in high-radiation environments.
The electronic components used in the space electronics market are either radiation hardened or radiation tolerant depending upon the mission. Since electronic components play huge role in the success of a mission, there have been continuing advancements in semiconductor and electronics technology, leading to the development of small and light-weight electronic products.
The era of satellites particularly for earth observation began many years ago in 1957 with the launch of Sputnik 1 satellite, which was launched with a radio, thermometer and battery. However, the space electronics industry has come a long way in decades leading miniaturization in the components and enabling stacking multiple components on single circuits with the invention of microcontrollers (MCUs). Satellites used to be of huge in size and with heavy payloads, however with the help of MCUs, the resultant electronic circuits become small in size and less complex along with consuming less power. This resulted in the advent of small satellites, which is a major traction in the overall space industry currently.
With increasing popularity of small satellites which operate in low Earth orbit (LEO) for three to five years, space components require less degree of validated components and are manufactured with commercially off-the-shelf (COTS). Commercial components can potentially save the costs indulged in testing and validation process in addition to implementation, since real-time operating systems and software tools, which are commercially available, can be employed on them.
Moreover, the capacity of such components to soak in overall radiation exposure ranges from 15 to 50K radiation, which is less as compared to radiation hardened product with over 100K radiation. In addition, there exist components with 1K radiation which are equipped in spacecrafts for one-month timeline. Such electronic components can be equipped in small satellites and space agencies, and companies are undertaking huge research and development (R&D) to develop reliable COTS electronic components. Techniques used to manufacture adequate COTS electronics for these satellites include modified circuit, real-time supporting software, cache validation and scrubbing techniques, qualified EEE Grade 2 or 3 component, along with required testing and certification. Such techniques are leveraged in mezzanine cards, single board computers, and other subsystems that result in high cost effectiveness and performance of COTS in various space applications.
According to the recently published market intelligence by BIS Research, titled “Global Space Electronics Market — Analysis and Forecast, 2019–2024”, the space electronics market registered a revenue of $1.27 billion in 2018. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.22%, during the forecast period from 2019 to 2024 and reach $1.72 billion by 2024.
