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Electronic components for aerospace applications

Resistors for aerospace applications

Since rockets and satellites cannot be maintained in orbit, components used must have high reliability and long life. Therefore, some of components for spacecrafts have high reliability and quality that are qualified by the research and development organization responsible for the aerospace development policy.

We have those qualified resistors in our lineup for space equipment such as satellites and rockets.

Features of resistors for aerospace applications

Use of lead-containing solder terminals

In general electronic parts, lead-free terminals are the mainstream, but resistors for space applications use lead-containing solder terminals for the following reasons.

Improvement of the reliability by suppressing whisker*

It is known that for Sn and Zn, whiskers grow more prominently in the zero-gravity environment such as outer space than on the ground.

Whiskers have been observed to grow faster in lead-free solders such as Sn for the external electrodes of electronic components and Sn-Ag-Cu used as a joining material. On the other hand, they have been observed to grow slower in Sn-Pb-based lead-containing solders.

Since whiskers can cause short circuits between circuits and poor continuity, it is necessary to use materials that do not easily generate whiskers.

* What is a whisker?
A needle-like metal crystal grown over time from lead-free tin (Sn) or zinc (Zn) plating layer. Because whiskers grow thin and long under zero gravity, they are more likely to cause problems, such as short circuits, than they do on the ground.

Souse: JAXA MEWS35 ”On-orbit validation to mitigate tin whisker growth”

 

Improvement of mechanical durability

Compared to Sn-plated products, lead-containing solder-plated products have the stress relaxation effect due to the creep deformation, improving reliability against the heat shock (thermal shock) and mechanical shock after mounting.

Screening (100% test), lot assurance (sampling test)

Screening and lot assurance are required for components for space equipment applications.

* Burn-in test

One of the tests to reject products with initial failure before shipping by applying the temperature/voltage stress to the components. Thereby, the initial failure rate is reduced and high quality can be maintained.

JAXA qualified

Passed the qualification test prescribed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)  and is qualified as the component for the space development.

Lineup of resistors for aerospace applications

Shape Series Product Name
JAXA2050 / J401 High Reliability Fixed Metal Film Chip Resistors for Space Use
NASDA RWS High Reliability Fixed Wirewound Power Type Resistors for Space Use

 

LTCC substrate for aerospace

LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics) with multilayer ceramic substrate.


⇒ Click here for the catalog


LTCC substrates have wiring patterns made of the Ag conductor material with low conductor resistance, which are integrally formed (simultaneously fired) in ceramic substrates of the multilayer structure.


This enables multilayer substrates with an excellent electrical characteristics, with less loss caused by the conductor resistance components.


Since LTCC substrates are made with ceramics, they are excellent in the heat resistance, moisture resistance, airtightness, and do not generate the outgassing.  Our LTCC substrates have been supplied in the form of substrates and package to the aerospace applications such as satellites and rockets that require environmental resistance and high reliability. 


Screening (100% test) and lot assurance (sampling test) are available upon request.