Analysis of the latest technologies being developed by avionics OEMs for the emerging eVTOL market.

The wave of commercially developed communications and remote-sensing satellites seeks to balance costs, capability, size, weight, and power consumption in the latest new space designs.

Contested space, where nations compete for military dominance outside Earth’s atmosphere, is driving many military space platforms, but commercial space and small satellites continue to change the way the military suppliers of space electronics approach radiation-hardened component design from testing to deployment.

Thanks to parallel advancements in battery technology and autonomous vehicles resulting from Tesla and other pioneering electric automobile manufacturers, we are rapidly approaching the era of the unmanned flying taxi.

The fast growth of small satellites and their lower life cycle and launch costs has created a sizable market for low-cost electronic components that have radiation-resistant characteristics.

Rick Hearn explains how the key computing elements of an avionics system must all be designed with safety in mind and endure stringent testing to prove they can meet the required Design Assurance Level (DAL).

Given its complexity and the critical applications for which it is designed, embedded avionics software must undergo a rigorous approval and testing process before it can be approved as airworthy.

The risk of failure for avionics equipment on-board spacecraft due to radiation exposure is a critical issue for launchers, re-entry vehicles, space habitats and satellites