Leti radio-frequency switches tested in space

Testing components developed for space applications on an actual satellite in orbit simply makes sense. And that is exactly what Leti has been doing since February, when a dozen of its RF switches were sent into orbit on board the Athena-Fidus satellite. The initial test results will be transmitted to the French National Space Agency (CNES) in just a few days.
The switches are based on a MEMS technology—a world-first—that makes them ten times smaller than their mechanical equivalents. The switches were tested on the ground for a full year, but because the technology is such a huge leap forward, CNES required additional validation testing in space.
The test switches currently in orbit will continue to be monitored throughout the satellite’s fifteen-year mission. However, if the initial results are conclusive, they should be approved much, much sooner!

Contact: bruno.reig@cea.fr

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