Vicor has provided Spacechips with radiation-tolerant power modules that provide stable high-current, low-voltage power, enabling Spacechips' AI1 satellite processor to perform high-performance AI calculations even in space environments.

SpaceChips announced on the 22nd that it is accelerating the development of next-generation space applications through the AI1 transponder that uses Vicor's high-density power module.

For long-term missions of small satellites, high-performance computing capabilities and a stable power supply that can withstand radiation and heat environments are essential, and this collaboration is evaluated as a key foundation for meeting these technological requirements.

With the increase in small satellites performing missions over the past 5 to 10 years, the power requirements for ultra-fine process FPGA and ASIC-based processors are rapidly increasing.

Existing power networks are facing limitations due to complex conditions such as low-voltage and high-current power supply, radiation resistance, and heat management.

To address this, SpaceChips has launched the AI1 Transponder, an onboard processor card featuring an AI accelerator based on the Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform (ACAP).

AI1 transponder is up to It provides 133 TOPS of computational performance and supports real-time autonomous computing in various fields such as Earth observation, in-space maintenance, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM), signals intelligence (SIGINT), intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and communications.

“Many spacecraft operators simply don’t have the RF bandwidth they need to send all the data back to the ground,” said Rajan Bedi, CEO of SpaceChips. “The solution is to process the data in orbit with AI and downlink only the key insights.”

To reliably power AI computing in space environments, SpaceChips integrated Vicor's Factorized Power Architecture (FPA™) into the AI1 transponder.

FPA is a structure that maximizes power supply efficiency by separating the DC-DC conversion function into an independent module.

Bycor's radiation-resistant power module consists of the BCM® (Bus Converter Module) that provides isolation and 28V step-down, the PRM™ (Pre-Regulator Module) that regulates voltage, and the VTM™ (Voltage Converter Module) that converts 28V DC to 0.8V.

This structure is optimized for AI processors that require high current and low voltage, and maintains high reliability even in space environments.

“Bycor’s solutions deliver high power density in a very small footprint, significantly increasing the efficiency and flexibility of satellite design,” said Rajan Bedi, CEO.

Additionally, Bycor power modules provide dual powertrain-based redundancy, ensuring stable power supply even in space applications where fault tolerance is not possible.

This allows communications and SIGINT operators to plan and modulate RF frequencies based on real-time traffic demands. The method and communication standards can be changed autonomously.