Easics, Caeleste and SELEX Galileo signed ESA contract for Development of a Prototype ASIC

The ASIC is targeted for use in future Space Science and Earth Observation missions. The 18 month development aims to design an ASIC dedicated to large format cryogenic NIR/SWIR Detector. The complex presents several challenging features:

• 77K operation temperature
• Radiation hardness
• Fully programmable sequencer on chip
• 16bits analog to digital conversion chain

The project will benefit from the experience of each consortium partner. Caeleste is responsible for the project supervision and the design of the analog section. Easics is designing the digital section using IMEC standard DARE library for radiation hardness. Easics is also in charge of the test system development. SELEX Galileo joins as IR/cryogenic expert and will provide support for cryogenic operation, test and evaluation.

Following the successful completion of this demonstrator phase, an industrialized version will be envisaged, aiming at providing such flexible and standard ASIC to European Companies willing to simplify the design of infrared instruments for space application.

About Caeleste

Caeleste is designer and supplier of custom CMOS image sensors, and specializes in high performance applications in the field of space, medical and scientific imaging. Caeleste was founded in  2006.
http://www.caeleste.be

About Easics

Easics is a System-on-Chip design company, targeting designs in both FPGA and digital & mixed-signal ASIC technology. Easics designs reliable and scalable high-performance and low-power embedded systems for leading product companies active in wireless & wired communication, medical, industrial, aerospace, imaging, multimedia and measurement equipment. Easics was founded in 1991 as a spin-off of Imec and the University of Leuven (Belgium). Easics is privately owned since 2004.
http://www.easics.com

About SELEX Galileo

SELEX Galileo, a Finmeccanica company, is an international defense electronics supplier. The company’s UK-based InfraRed (IR) detector facility has all the equipment and expertise required to design, evaluate, qualify and manufacture IR detectors for a wide range of industrial, military and scientific, space-based applications.
http://www.selexgalileo.com

Contact persons

Caeleste – Patrick Henckes, CEO, Patrick.henckes@caeleste.be
Easics – Ramses Valvekens, CEO, ramses@easics.be tel: +32 16 395 613
SELEX Galileo – John Stevenson, Press Officer john.stevenson@selexgalileo.com tel:  +44 (0) 7540 628691