Boeing to Develop
New Electronic Circuits for Extreme Space Environments
(31 May 2006) The Boeing Company is
part of a university-industry team that received a one-year, US$ 2.75 million
NASA contract to further develop a reliable, cost effective electronic
technology that helps robotic and human space missions operate in environments
of extreme cold and space radiation.
Led by principal
investigator Dr. John D. Cressler, Byers Professor in the School of Electrical
and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the team will
continue to develop Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) mixed-signal circuits for extreme
environments, first initiated by NASA in 2005. Mixed-signal circuits contain
components that process analogue and digital signals and are essential to the
design of electronics that operate, control, monitor and reconfigure many space
systems.
The Phase 2A contract period concludes in April 2007, and Phase
2B is anticipated to run until April 2009. Under the contract, the team will
build on its Phase 1 successes and continue to define application tasks; design
and fabricate integrated circuits; develop simulation and modelling tools for
design; assess reliability and radiation tolerance; develop integrated
packaging; and qualify the performance of the devices in extreme cold
temperatures and under incident radiation.
The technology could be used
for upcoming NASA Robotic Lunar Exploration Program (RLEP) initiatives.
Starting with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter launch in October 2008, the RLEP
is responsible for a series of robotic missions to the moon and supports future
exploration activities for sustained robotic and human exploration to Mars and
beyond.
SiGe electronics have intrinsic tolerance to space radiation and
reduce the need for housing the electronics in warm boxes, conserving energy,
reducing launch weight and improving reliability. This technology would allow
extended mission range and duration, could be used in lunar landers, hoppers,
rovers or data gathering stations, and also may benefit human space
transportation systems for returning astronauts to the moon, Mars and
beyond.
"Future spacecraft returning to the moon will determine if ice
exists in a form usable by humans in the permanently dark craters of the south
polar region," said Dr. Leora Peltz, the leader of the Boeing team in Advanced
Network and Space Systems, a division of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
"Water, if found, could be used as an in-space fuel source. SiGe technology
could enable robots and humans to remain longer and accomplish more, either
searching for existing resources or performing scientific missions on the lunar
surface."
"We are confident that we will continue to achieve the level
of success that will have a lasting impact on space exploration missions," said
Cressler. "The successful execution of our SiGe integrated electronics effort
requires the synergy of many disciplines and team members. We have a truly
world-class team of researchers, representing a nice blend of industry,
university and NASA team members."
The team includes the Georgia
Institute of Technology, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Auburn University,
the University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, the University of Maryland,
the University of Arkansas, Boeing, BAE Systems, IBM and Lynguent.
SiGe
technology is rapidly making inroads in high-speed communications because of
its low cost and ease-of-integration. The project, which leverages and adapts
SiGe technology for specific space exploration needs, is part of the NASA
Exploration Systems Research and Technology Program in support of the nation's
Vision for Space Exploration.
The Georgia Institute of Technology is one
of the nation's premiere research universities, with strengths in engineering,
the sciences and computing. Ranked 9th in U.S. News & World Report's list
of top public universities, Georgia Tech operates a research program that
totals more than US$ 400 million per year.
A unit of The Boeing Company,
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and
defence businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense
Systems is a US$ 30.8 billion business. It provides network-centric system
solutions to its global military, government, and commercial customers. It is a
leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the
world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite
manufacturer; a foremost provider of advanced concepts and technologies; a
leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator
for U.S. missile defence; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in
sustainment solutions and launch services.
(source: Boeing)
