Tactical-grade MEMS accelerometers launched for space

Photo: Silicon Designs

New radiation-tested, tactical-grade MEMS inertial accelerometers designed for spacecraft electronics testing

Silicon Designs Inc. has launched the Model 1527 series, a family of miniature, radiation-tested, tactical-grade micro-electromechanical (MEMS) inertial accelerometers.

Offered in three full-scale acceleration ranges — ±10 g, ±25 g and ±50 g — the series is designed to support a variety of critical space electronics testing requirements, including those of spacecraft, satellites and CubeSats.

In addition, their small bias and scale-factor temperature coefficients, excellent in-run bias stability, and zero cross-coupling make the Model 1527 series particularly well-suited for spacecraft electronics testing applications requiring low power consumption (+5 VDC, 6.5 mA), low noise, long-term measurement stability in –55° C to +125° C environments, and performance reliability under intermittent radiation exposures.

Radiation test report data, as generated during internal qualification testing, is available on request.

The rugged design of the Model 1527 series combines a tactical-grade MEMS inertial sense element with a custom integrated circuit, internal temperature sensor, onboard sense amplifier and ±4V differential analog output stage. The MEMS inertial sense element and internal components are housed within a lightweight, hermetically sealed, nitrogen-damped, miniature, RoHS compliant, J-lead LCC-20 surface mount ceramic package (U.S. Export Classification ECCN 7A994), weighing 0.68 grams.

Its compact and lightweight footprint allows for ease of accelerometer installation within space-constrained environments, as well as minimization of mass loading effects. Each Model 1527 Series accelerometer is marked with a serial number for traceability on both top and bottom surfaces.

All Silicon Designs’ Model 1527 Series tactical-grade MEMS inertial accelerometers are designed, manufactured, performance-verified and calibrated in-house at the company’s global corporate headquarters and R&D center outside of Seattle, Washington. Product performance documentation is supplied at the time of shipment, including residuals, thermal sensor model, acceleration model, bias, scale factor, linearity, operating current and frequency response data.