Microelectronics for planetary spacecraft

The evolution of microprocessors, detectors, and memory from the Voyager era to the current Magellan and Galileo spacecraft, and then on to the future Mars Observer and Cassini projects, is presented. The presentation includes the Magellan spacecraft overview of the electronics used to produce radar images of Venus, and a discussion of some of the problems encountered. The current status of Galileo on its voyage to Jupiter and of the Mars Observer planned for launch in September 1992 are also discussed. Details of the new microelectronics required for the Cassini Project, including the microprocessor and its chip family, and some of the advanced components being developed are also described. The GaAs IC power amplifier part failure problem is also described. New detectors for scientific instruments and a microelectronics view beyond current planetary spacecraft are presented.<>