Infineon semiconductors on Artemis II Mission Accomplished

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Infineon technology once again proves itself in space during the Artemis II lunar mission.

Radiation-hardened semiconductors from Infineon support the electronic backbone of NASA’s Artemis II Orion capsule for more than ten days in space. Since the 1970s, Infineon’s radiation-hardened technology has proven itself in hundreds of space missions.
Infineon’s first JANS-qualified and internally produced GaN transistor with radiation hardness sets the standard for space semiconductors.

The NASA Artemis II mission has successfully returned after ten days in space, the closest approach to the moon and the furthest distance of manned spaceflight from Earth. Four astronauts have landed safely on Earth and with them renewed proof that the radiation-hardened semiconductor solutions from Infineon Technologies AG function reliably even under the extreme conditions of space. From the critical power supply to control systems and data communication, Infineon’s radiation-hardened technologies from the IR HiRel (High Reliability) division make an important contribution to the electronic backbone inside the Orion capsule.

“Space programs need technologies and partners that can be relied on for decades. Infineon is a critical technology partner and we are proud to have once again contributed to the success of a historic mission,” said Mike Mills, Senior Vice President and General Manager of IR HiRel at Infineon. “Space travel is evolving rapidly: more missions, more data, more electrification—while reducing size, weight and power consumption. In this equation, semiconductors are becoming a central focus point in space travel. The fact that our components worked perfectly from the first to the last minute of the Artemis II mission is no coincidence. It is the result of decades of engineering, rigorous qualification processes and a deep understanding of what semiconductors need to do in space.”

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The Artemis II mission is not a first for Infineon in space. Back in the 1970s, Infineon’s predecessor companies supplied the first radiation-hardened (rad-hard) components for the NASA and ESA space programs. Since then, Infineon IR HiRel has supported hundreds of space missions, from navigation satellites to the International Space Station (ISS) and today’s Artemis program. Infineon’s rad-hard components have traveled a greater distance than any other man-made object—more than 20 billion kilometers (approx. 12 billion miles) from Earth. As a technology leader, Infineon continuously invests in the development and manufacture of the highest performing radiation-hardened semiconductors to support the global space industry.

The demands placed on semiconductors in space are enormous. Beyond the Earth’s protective magnetic field, high-energy particles hit electronic components unhindered and can permanently damage or destroy them. Infineon’s rad-hard technology counteracts these mechanisms not by passive shielding, but by a semiconductor architecture that is radiation-resistant from the ground up. All products are qualified to the most stringent international space standards, including MIL-PRF-38535 Class V, ESA ESCC standards and NASA EEE-INST-002, confirming their reliable performance.

Innovation at Infineon is created in the overall system: semiconductor technology, rad-hard safety and the stability of the chip packages are interlinked. An optimised overall system not only influences electrical performance, but also thermal behaviour and reliability—and can reduce weight and volume at the same time. In space travel, where every gram counts, this is a decisive system advantage.

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Wide bandgap technology: GaN takes the next step

In the process, Infineon is also focusing on completely new semiconductor materials in space applications. Gallium nitride (GaN) enables lower switching losses, higher power density and higher switching frequencies. This reduces power losses and the need for magnetics and enables further weight savings. Based on in-house manufacturing and thus controllable process and quality stability, Infineon’s radiation-hardened 100 V GaN transistor, which is JANS (Joint Army Navy Space) qualified according to MIL-PRF-19500, takes GaN from vision to reliable technology in demanding space missions. Infineon’s JANS-qualified device is the first and only internally manufactured rad-hard GaN transistor on the market.

Infineon offers a broad rad-hard portfolio, from silicon power MOSFETs and GaN transistors to gate drivers, solid-state relays, radiation-hardened memories and radio-frequency (RF) devices. With its own radiation test capacities and guaranteed long-term availability, Infineon sees itself not only as a component supplier, but also as a strategic technology partner for the entire space industry.