
ST, TTTech team on Ariane 6 launcher, space gateway chip designs

ST Microelectronics is working with TTTech Aerospace on space systems that range from the Ariane 6 launcher to NASA’s HALO gateway.
ST is suppling radiation hardened ASIC chips to TTTech for networking over the last seven years and are extending their agreement. After the first variant of TTTech’s and ST’s codeveloped TTEthernet network controller chip was selected for the Ariane 6 launcher program, a second variant, tailored for the very harsh constraints of deep space, is being implemented in modules of the Gateway space station, a key part of NASA’s Artemis program.
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The chip is a key part of the Ariane 6 avionics backbone system where the challenge was to develop and qualify a solution that supports a short life cycle in the harsh conditions of a launch and ST are integrated into more than 50 avionic units that all connect to a single, redundant TTEthernet network.
The delayed Ariane 6 launcher is currently undergoing its test campaign, developed by ArianeGroup on behalf of the European Space Agency. This is a key element of a sovereign European space strategy.
The second variant for the Habitation and Logistics Module (HALO) and the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) modules in NASA’s Artemis programme and will use a hermetic ceramic package with an extended life cycle of multiple years.
“We are witnessing a new space era. The space market has captured lots of commercial funding and benefits from increased governmental spending,” said Georg Kopetz, CEO of TTTech in Vienna.
“There is a growing demand for satellite constellations providing global internet connection and earth observation. At the same time, international cooperation, such as NASA Artemis and programs like the Gateway space station, are pushing space travel and new industries and projects, such as Moon habitation and rovers. They also foster the need for high-tech, safe, and secure digital communication solutions, which is our core competence. TTTech is proud to be on board of such missions and to work with a leading technology company like STMicroelectronics to shape the future of the space market,” s
“Cutting-edge technology is a must for a vision of connected deep space to become a reality. ST’s chips power Space industry through collaboration with space agencies and market leaders, such as TTTech. As part of this collaboration, we are bringing two innovative variants of the same chip, enabling both short-lived but tough launcher’s reliability conditions and missions lasting over 15 years in very harsh constraints of deep space,” said Vincent Fraisse, RF & Communication Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics.
“As an integrated device manufacturer, ST provides this transforming market with decades of high-reliability semiconductor expertise and its customers with security of supply with its Europe-based front-end and back-end manufacturing.”
TTTech Aerospace is part of the TTTech Group which developed Deterministic Ethernet and a driving force behind the IEEE TSN and the SAE AS6802 Time-Triggered Ethernet standards.
www.tttech.com/aerospace; www.st.com
