WASHINGTON — BAE Systems said its Endura space microprocessor has demonstrated it can operate in some of the most demanding radiation environments faced by national security spacecraft, clearing a key hurdle as military satellite programs seek more capable onboard computing.
The company said the system-on-chip, or SoC, performed reliably in testing designed to simulate both the natural radiation environment of space and the more severe strategic radiation conditions required for certain defense missions.
The Endura computing chip integrates multiple onboard computing functions into a single device used to power satellites operating in the harsh environment of space.
James Larosa, program director at BAE Systems, said Endura was initially introduced to the market in Software Development Units in 2024 and has since been adopted to support classified missions. “We are working with multiple primes to demonstrate Endura’s viability to support missile defense strategic applications,” he said.
The Endura chip was built using BAE Systems’ radiation-hardened 45-nanometer manufacturing technology and is produced at GlobalFoundries’ secure semiconductor facility in New York. BAE said the design combines commercially available chip technology with manufacturing methods qualified for space applications, allowing customers to develop custom space electronics using a proven production process.
System-on-chip architectures have become standard across the commercial technology industry and are now being adopted more widely in space systems. Larosa said Endura combines the processor, memory and communications functions that traditionally would be spread across multiple chips into a single device.
The company said Endura is a rebranding of BAE’s radiation-hardened RAD510 microprocessor. BAE said the chip will anchor a family of next-generation space computing products and that it is accepting orders for Software Development Units featuring the Endura SoC.
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