Which processor is used in satellites?

RAD750

General information
Max. CPU clock rate	110 MHz to 200 MHz
Cache
L1 cache	32 KB instruction + 32 KB data
Architecture and classification

Do Processors wear out over time?

In normal use, a processor may run for decades before failing. Although other major parts, such as fans and hard drives, wear out long before the processor does, various forms of obsolescence claim most computer processors long before they stop working.

Do satellites have memory?

Modern satellites store their data in solid state memory – a huge ‘bank’ of computer memory chips. These are very similar to ordinary computer memory, except they are usually ‘radiation hard’, meaning they are less likely to get wiped out by random cosmic radiation.

Does NASA use Intel chips?

The COMEX-IE38 card aboard NASA’s Perseverance lander stores and sends images from the probe and runs on the much-maligned Intel Atom CPU.

Can computers run in space?

An ordinary PC or laptop won’t work at all in vacuum, initially because the hard drive heads need an air cushion to float on. Even with solid-state disks, though, conventional computers won’t work for long in vacuum. Without air, there’s also no air cooling.

What computers are used in space?

The most common type of hardware used at ISS today is Intel 80386SX which was widely used in home PCs twenty years ago. Its performance is unspectacular compared to modern processors.

How do the satellites collect data?

Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. The antennas then capture those signals and process the information coming from those signals.

Why is the processor used in satellites so slow?

They have an embedded processor which is used for systems control but it is generally quite slow by modern processor standards. The reason is that processors used in satellites need to be designed to tolerate very harsh conditions, not only heating and cooling but most dangerous for components is the radiation in space.

What happens to old satellites?

The Short Answer: Two things can happen to old satellites: For the closer satellites, engineers will use its last bit of fuel to slow it down so it will fall out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere. Further satellites are instead sent even farther away from Earth. Like every other machine, satellites do not last forever.

Why do satellites need to be protected from radiation?

The reason is that processors used in satellites need to be designed to tolerate very harsh conditions, not only heating and cooling but most dangerous for components is the radiation in space. Processors make mistakes when they are hit by high energy radiation such as cosmic rays and a mistake could destroy your expensive investment.

What kind of computer do satellites have?

Communications and other satellites generally don’t have what you might think of as a computer. They have an embedded processor which is used for systems control but it is generally quite slow by modern processor standards.