Introduction
Space exploration is a thing that every people loves, since 1608 when telescope invented and scientist exactly viewed the outer space and our planets. Past few years, the space industry has been rapidly growing and contributing to space research and exploration. Behind every research and mission, space electronics and technologies play an essential role in making it successful. It includes the design and development of spacecraft, satellites, communication and control systems, research, and ground-breaking innovations.
In this article, we will discuss the latest trends, innovations, and technologies in space electronics. We will discover challenges, emerging technologies, future growth, and much more. Get ready to explore the space tech!
The integration of technologies such as AI, ML, and Quantum Electronics enhances efficiency during development. Communication technology such as 5G and IoT will change the way we communicate.
High-performance sensors and space instrumentation will contribute more to research and exploration. Space-based manufacturing techniques, onboard computers and microprocessors, and nanosatellites will develop compact, cost-effective, and energy-efficient space systems.
The Evolution of Space Electronics
There are a lot of research, developments, and innovations that have happened and it’s expected to reach a $117 billion market for space electronics by 2027.
The year 2023 started with 5.18 billion active internet users worldwide. Despite such impressive figures, there are still >35% of the total population of Earth who do not use the internet. Commercial satellite operators are launching thousands of satellites in the coming years to serve this market, requiring advancements in space electronics.
Be it a communication satellite, navigation satellite, carrier rocket, lander, rover or space shuttle, all require reliable space-grade electronics for functioning. For improved navigation, communication, imaging and data-processing systems in any space exploration, improved space electronics are required. As a result, the global space electronics market is expected to exceed $5.3 billion by 2028.
Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) unveiled the decadal vision and strategy for the Indian space economy, on 10th-October-2023. At present, the Indian space economy is valued at around ₹6,700 crore ($8.4 billion) with a 2% share in the global space economy. As per IN-SPACe’s projection, India’s space economy has the potential to reach ₹35,200 crore ($44 billion) by 2033 with about 8% of the global share.
At present, the share of the domestic market is ₹6,400 crore ($8.1 billion). The export market share is ₹2,400 crore ($0.3 billion). The aim is to increase the domestic share to ₹26,400 crore ($33 billion), and the export share to ₹88,000 crore ($11 billion).
Dr. Pawan Goenka, chairman, IN-SPACe said, “As we unveil the decadal vision for Indian space economy, we emphasise that the future of the Indian space sector is a shared endeavour. Hence, our strategy fosters an era of collaboration between all stakeholders to accelerate growth. ISRO is opening its doors wider than ever to private sector participation, so that together, we can successfully boost the space economy for a resurgent Aatmnirbhar Bharat.”
Enhanced Electronics for Advanced Communication
At its simplest, a transmitter and a receiver are two essential components for any successful space communication. To offer advanced communications, companies are working toward interference-free and optical communication technologies.
An ultra-flat scalable matrix antenna was launched by Thorium Space, is said to be free from interference from Earth or space. It uses high radio frequencies and electronic control of transmitting and receiving beams.
A significant breakthrough in the space electronics field came when NASA achieved 200 Gbits/s throughput on a space-to-ground optical link in April 2023. This has set a record for the highest data rate ever achieved in space-to-ground optical communications. The benefits of laser/optical communications include improved efficiency, lighter systems and strengthened security.
This achievement was made possible due to the TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD) system, carried into orbit by NASA’s Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator 3 (PTD-3) satellite.
Radiation-Hardened/Tolerant and Beyond
The space electronics industry has a long history of system breakdowns caused by several factors. Long duration of exposures, unpredictable solar proton activity and an ambient galactic cosmic ray environment are a few examples. Space electronics must surpass multiple testing and qualification standards to address potential failures.
To withstand these conditions, the electronics are made either radiation-hardened or radiation-tolerant. Radiation-tolerant and radiation-hardened space electronics are differentiated by their ability to resist the effects of ionizing radiation, such as total ionizing dose (TID) and single-event effects (SEE).
Microchip Technology Inc. announced a significant addition to its existing radiation-tolerant product range by introducing the MIC69303RT 3-A low-dropout voltage regulator in January 2023. This product marks the company’s first commercial-off-the-shelf rad-tolerant power device that offers better space power management. This regulator, featuring a four-layer printed-circuit board, is made up of highly reliable plastic derived from the AEC-Q100 automotive specification that passes all tests necessary for space applications as well as a robust hermetic ceramic.
Quantum Material for Next-Gen Space Electronics
Future telecommunications require highly advanced electronic devices with immense processing capabilities for electromagnetic signals in the picosecond range. Current semiconductor materials, usually silicon, fall short of meeting such extraordinary speed requirements.
Holding a promise for future electronic devices, particularly in optoelectronics, a team headed by the University of Geneva (UNIGE) in March 2023 created a quantum material that can be used to capture and transmit information within new electronic devices at a very high speed. The presence of force fields in the material generates entirely unique dynamics that are not observed in conventional materials; therefore, electrons can navigate through a curved space.
The Role of Miniaturization – Making Big Differences
The space industry is moving toward miniaturization, which calls for smaller and more advanced electronics, including integrated circuits and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) that enable the development of customized components with reduced circuit size, weight and power consumption, resulting in a cost-effective solution.
The emergence of small satellites like CubeSats has led to the development of miniaturized electronic components like compact sensors, communication systems and attitude-control mechanisms. These small satellites typically cost up to 90% less than large satellites, when accounting for both production and launch expenses.
For instance, the cost of manufacturing and launching Maxar’s WorldView-4 satellite, which weighs 2,500 kg, was approximately $850 million, while a single OneWeb small satellite, including its launch, was estimated to cost about $1 million.
Fueling the Next Chapter of Space Exploration
The communication satellites heavily rely on radio-frequency (RF) components for wireless communications, more and more RF components are required in the future.
To meet this growing demand, Airbus, for example, embraces the power of additive-layer–manufacturing technology to manufacture RF components in large volume for its Eurostar satellite.
SpaceX uses an AI-powered autopilot system in Falcon 9 that helps rockets traverse from the launch to the docking station at the International Space Station. The AI system calculates the trajectory of the rocket through space, considering fuel usage, atmospheric interference and “sloshing” from liquids within the engine, mitigating any possible human error.
In February 2023, Ubotica, a leading space AI company, announced its CogniSAT-XE2 hardware platform to facilitate AI usage in space for in-orbit data analysis. This platform, with its AI capabilities, increases in-orbit data-analysis capabilities in real time, enables collision-avoidance assistance and optimizes downlink data load.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation developed a technology that enables 3D printing of satellite antenna in the vacuum of outer space, using photosensitive resin and solar ultraviolet light. This technology, introduced in 2022, has the potential to reduce costs and create more space on the rocket.
The advent of Industry 5.0, brings transforming trends like the Metaverse and Quantum Computing that can significantly change the technology landscape. These technologies even have the potential to simulate the space environment (microgravity) on Earth which could achieve similar results without leaving terrestrial area.
Advanced Space Manufacturing
Space manufacturing adopts innovative technologies to improve space products and services. With the advent of advanced robotics, 3D printing, and light-based manufacturing, innovations in the space industry are also progressing.
Large space structures, reusable launch vehicles, space shuttles, and satellite sensors have become a reality, owing to advancements in manufacturing processes. Automation is also vital for the space industry for long-term space exploration and mission, due to which startups provide such solutions tailored for the industry.
US-based startup Momentus makes transportation to space affordable through its reusable rockets. After the final drop-off, the reusable vehicles de-orbit to another orbit. The reusable vehicle is equipped with robotic arms and is capable of performing proximity manoeuvres, docking, and refuelling, and is well-suited for an entire range of in-orbit services.
Singaporean startup Equatorial Space Systems develops a commercial sub-orbital rocket capable of delivering small payloads above the Karman line, the boundary between space and atmosphere. The startup’s solution, Dorado, comes in two variants – a single-stage vehicle capable of reaching an apogee of 105 km and a two-stage version designed to exceed a target altitude of 250 km. The two rockets provide 3 and 6 minutes of weightlessness, respectively.
Challenges in Global Space Electronics:-
- Electronic components work properly in specific temperature ranges, but due to the variation in temperature between hot and cold when in space, it’s challenging to control the temperature to save the overall system from heat and coldness.
- Due to the radiation of the sun and other rays in space, it’s possible to get failure in electronic components and hardware systems.
- The space industry has always been constrained by the weight and size of devices or systems.
- In electronics, we have power limitations. We have a limit to storing and using the power. So, it’s important to develop an energy-efficient and less-powered system.
- A harsh space environment is always one challenge to fight with.
Scientists, researchers, and engineers constantly trying to tackle all of the major challenges and make the space exploration journey easier, and more efficient.
Conclusion
Advances in the space industry are happening at light speed and unceasingly redefining cosmic exploration. With mankind’s ability to explore deep space, evolutions in space electronics are set to progress in the years to come as they are the key enables for missions to space.
The space industry is utilizing emerging technologies, including 5G, advanced satellite systems, 3D printing, big data, and quantum computing, to upgrade and scale operations in space. Many services, such as weather forecasting, remote sensing, global positioning system (GPS) navigation, satellite television, and long-distance communication, rely on space infrastructure. Moreover, new space industry trends, like smart propulsion, space robotics, and space traffic management are also gaining traction. Together with increasing private investment in the industry, startups develop technologies to ease movement, operations, and communications between Earth and space.
