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\nA close-up glimpse at part of a microchip designed to provide high-frequency radar for future space missions, or else boost the speed of satellite communications.\n<\/p>\n
\nThis integrated circuit \u2013 produced for ESA by Ireland\u2019s Arralis company \u2013 is the centrepiece of a powerful 94 GHz radar system, offering nearly 10 times sharper resolution than the landing radar used by the Apollo missions to the Moon.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt might make planetary landings much safer in future,\u201d explains Barry Lunn, CEO of Arralis. \u201cThis mm-wave radar could identify small but hazardous rocks across a candidate landing zone, or else be used by a spacecraft in flight to identify and avoid adjacent debris.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Limerick-based company<\/a> already markets high-frequency chips, modules and antennas to terrestrial markets, for uses including helicopter landing radar.\n<\/p>\n \nThe high-frequency chip developed through the project \u2013 supported through ESA\u2019s long-running General Support Technology Programme<\/a>, looking to prepare promising products for the market \u2013 also has the potential to turbocharge terrestrial wifi speeds, along with space communications.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cThe project team exhibited a very rapid learning curve, helping to bring these integrated circuits to a point where they could be taken up by future space missions,\u201d adds Petri Piironen, managing the project for ESA.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cWe have already begun a follow-project with Arralis, looking at the next level of product development: integrating these chips into radar modules.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \nCooperation between ESA and Arralis was coordinated through the Enterprise Ireland<\/a> development agency. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \nA close-up glimpse at part of a microchip designed to provide high-frequency radar for future space missions, or else boost the speed of satellite communications.\n<\/p>\n \nThis integrated circuit – produced for ESA by Ireland’s Arralis company – is the centrepiece of a powerful 94 GHz radar system, offering nearly 10 times sharper resolution than the landing radar used by the Apollo missions to the Moon.\n<\/p>\n \n“It might make planetary landings much safer in future,” explains Barry Lunn, CEO of Arralis. “This mm-wave radar could identify small but hazardous rocks across a candidate landing zone, or else be used by a spacecraft in flight to identify and avoid adjacent debris.”\n<\/p>\n \nThe Limerick-based company<\/a> already markets high-frequency chips, modules and antennas to terrestrial markets, for uses including helicopter landing radar.\n<\/p>\n \nThe high-frequency chip developed through the project – supported through ESA’s long-running General Support Technology Programme<\/a>, looking to prepare promising products for the market – also has the potential to turbocharge terrestrial wifi speeds, along with space communications.\n<\/p>\n \n“The project team exhibited a very rapid learning curve, helping to bring these integrated circuits to a point where they could be taken up by future space missions,” adds Petri Piironen, managing the project for ESA.\n<\/p>\n \n“We have already begun a follow-project with Arralis, looking at the next level of product development: integrating these chips into radar modules.”\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n