Infineon Technologies reports NASA's Artemis II mission has successfully returned to Earth after ten days in space, having approached the Moon and reached the farthest distance from our planet ever achieved by crewed spaceflight.

The company says the four astronauts have safely returned home, delivering renewed proof that the radiation-hardened (rad-hard) semiconductor solutions of Infineon Technologies perform reliably even under the most extreme conditions of deep space. From critical power supply and control systems to data communications, Infineon's rad-hard devices from its IR HiRel (high reliability) division supported the electronic backbone at the heart of the Orion capsule.

“Space programs require technologies and partners they can rely on for decades. Infineon is a critical technology partner, and we are proud to have once again contributed to the success of a historic space mission,” said Mike Mills, Senior Vice President and General Manager of IR HiRel at Infineon.

“The space industry is evolving rapidly: more missions, more data, more electrification – while facing increasing pressure on size, weight and power consumption. In this equation, semiconductors are becoming a central focus in space. The fact that our components performed flawlessly from the first to the last minute of the Artemis II mission is no coincidence. It is the result of decades of engineering expertise, state-of-the-art qualification processes and a deep understanding of what semiconductors must deliver in space."

Infineon says Artemis II marks decades of space heritage for the company. As far back as the 1970s, Infineon's predecessor companies supplied the first rad-hard components for NASA and ESA space programs. Since then, Infineon IR HiRel says it has supported hundreds of space missions including navigation satellites, the International Space Station (ISS), and today's Artemis programme. Its rad-hard components have reportedly travelled further than any other human-made object, over 20 billion kilometres from Earth.

As a technology leader, Infineon says it continues to invest in, develop and manufacture the best performing rad-hard semiconductors supporting the space design community on a global scale.

The demands placed on semiconductors in space are immense. Beyond Earth's protective magnetic field, high-energy particles strike electronic components unimpeded and can permanently damage or destroy them, causing mission failure. Infineon's rad-hard technology addresses these mechanisms not through passive shielding, but through a semiconductor architecture that is radiation-resistant by design. All products are qualified to the most stringent international space standards, including MIL-PRF-38535 Class V, MIL-PRF-19500, ESA's ESCC standards and NASA EEE-INST-002, ensuring their reliable performance.

At Infineon, innovation is developed at the system level: semiconductor technology, rad-hard assurance, and packaging perform together. An optimised overall system influences not only electrical performance, but also thermal behaviour and long-term reliability – while simultaneously reducing weight and volume. Every gram counts in space, Infineon’s rad-hard parts can provide a decisive system-level advantage.

Wide-Bandgap technology: GaN takes the next step

Infineon says it is also advancing the use of new semiconductor materials in space applications. Gallium nitride (GaN) enables lower switching losses, higher power density and higher switching frequencies – reducing power losses and magnetic component requirements, which translates directly into further weight savings. Built on internal manufacturing capabilities and the process and quality stability that comes with it, Infineon's award-winning rad-hard 100-V GaN transistor, qualified to JANS (Joint Army Navy Space) per MIL-PRF-19500, brings GaN from concept to proven technology for demanding space missions. Infineon’s JANS qualified device is the first and only internally manufactured rad-hard GaN transistor on the market. 

Infineon says it offers a broad rad-hard portfolio spanning Si power MOSFETs and GaN transistors, gate drivers and solid-state relays, in addition to rad-hard memories and radio frequency (RF) devices. Backed by in-house radiation testing capabilities and guaranteed long-term product availability, Infineon positions itself not merely as a component supplier, but as a strategic technology partner for the entire space industry.

 

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