Actel played a significant role in the recent Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) Shoemaker mission on 12 February, providing programmable logic that enabled mission managers to navigate the spacecraft to the surface of asteroid Eros and collect scientific data from the asteroid surface and surrounding environment. Actel says that its high-reliability field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) were a part of the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft, and played an important role in the command, telemetry and scientific data collection aspects of the mission. The successful touchdown of the spacecraft on asteroid Eros, even though it was not designed as a lander, makes the contributions of Actel's FPGA devices more significant, it said.
"Actel continues to be a key player in the technology behind major breakthroughs occurring in space and we plan to continue to push forward with our involvement in and development of high-reliability programmable logic technology," said Sunil Baliga, Vice President, Product Marketing at Actel. "Actel was proud to participate in the success of the Mars Pathfinder Mission of 1997 and we are again thrilled to play an integral part in another historic spacecraft landing, the NEAR Shoemaker."
Actel's radiation-tolerant RTSX-S devices were specifically developed for space applications. These devices include critical benefits such as immunity to single event upset (SEU) well above 37 MeV-cm2/mg, immunity to single event latchup (SEL), and performance capability of up to 100 Krads total ionising dose (TID). The RTSX-S devices also provide increased speed performance, mixed voltage support and the flexibility and effectiveness required by applications in harsh operating environments, according to the manufacturer.
Microchip advances Space-Grade timing performance ASIC Design Services
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Microchip Technology has expanded its atomic clock portfolio with the radiation-tolerant Space CSAC-SA65, a Chip Scale Atomic Clock designed to deliver precise timing for space systems.
Read more...From the editor's desk: Inspiring the next generation Technews Publishing
News
Welcome to the August issue of Dataweek. Peter Howells is still on leave, so I am back for this issue. I hope you enjoy the content and find value in it.
August is Women’s Month in South Africa, ...
Read more...Procurement is becoming a competitive advantage RS South Africa
News
As mining, manufacturing and industrial businesses continue to navigate rising costs, supply chain disruption and increasing pressure to improve operational performance, procurement and inventory management have become strategic business priorities rather than simply administrative functions.
Read more...Omniflex delivers ICCP systems across London Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
News
Omniflex has supplied impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) systems for a range of prominent buildings across London, helping to protect reinforced concrete structures from corrosion and extending their service life.
Read more...MTN celebrates 80 Western Cape digital graduates
News
Eighty unemployed young people from across the Western Cape have successfully completed MTN South Africa’s Digital Skills for Digital Jobs (DS4DJ) programme, earning accredited qualifications in Data Analytics, Systems Development and Cybersecurity.
Read more...Rooibos heads to space
News
A South African scientific initiative linking agriculture and space research has officially launched today with the Rooibos in Space programme at Parklands College’s Innovation Centre in Cape Town.
Read more...From the editor's desk: Local can be international Technews Publishing
Editor's Choice News
Welcome to the July 2026 issue of Dataweek. As you can see from this introduction, Dataweek’s regular editor, Peter Howells, is on extended leave and I am filling the void in his editor’s column – hopefully without being too boring.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version