Infineon Technologies AG announced that its radiation-hardened semiconductor solutions successfully supported Artemis II, which completed a ten-day crewed mission reaching record distances from Earth before safely returning.
Infineon’s rad-hard components, supplied through its IR HiRel division, played a critical role in the Orion spacecraft, supporting key functions including power supply, control systems, and data communications. The mission serves as a real-world validation of semiconductor reliability under extreme deep-space conditions, where exposure to high-energy radiation poses significant risks to electronic systems.
The company’s rad-hard technology is engineered to withstand radiation at the device level rather than relying solely on shielding, ensuring long-term reliability in harsh environments. These components meet stringent international space standards, including MIL-PRF-38535 Class V, ESA ESCC, and NASA EEE-INST-002, reinforcing their suitability for mission-critical applications.
Infineon’s involvement in Artemis II builds on decades of space heritage, with its technologies previously deployed in satellites, the International Space Station, and numerous deep-space missions. The company highlighted that its components have collectively traveled over 20 billion kilometers, underscoring long-term reliability and performance consistency.
A key forward-looking element is the advancement of wide-bandgap technologies in space. Infineon is actively developing radiation-hardened gallium nitride (GaN) devices, which offer higher efficiency, reduced switching losses, and improved power density—critical for minimizing size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints in spacecraft systems. Its 100 V rad-hard GaN transistor, qualified to JANS standards, represents a step toward broader GaN adoption in space applications.
From a market perspective, the increasing electrification and data demands of modern space missions are elevating the importance of advanced power semiconductors. As space programs scale in complexity and frequency, rad-hard Si and GaN devices are becoming central enablers of reliable, high-performance systems.
Infineon’s successful deployment in Artemis II reinforces its position as a key supplier in the space-grade semiconductor segment, while also highlighting the growing strategic importance of power electronics in next-generation aerospace and defense applications.
Original – Infineon Technologies