ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO10355
Open Date: 02/06/2020
Closing Date: 28/07/2020 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 20.1ED.05
Prog. Ref.: Technology Developme
Budget Ref.: E/0901-01 – Technology Developme
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Launchers / Electronics / EEE Components / Monolithic Microcircuits (including MMICs) / Satellites & Probes / Electronics / EEE Components / Monolithic Microcircuits (including MMICs)
Technology Domains: Onboard Data Systems / Payload Data Processing / Hardware Technologies for Payload Data Processing / Onboard Data Systems / Onboard Data Management / Data Storage / EEE Components and Quality / EEE Component Technologies / Silicon-Based Components
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. & Quality
Department: Electrical Department
Division: Data Syst & Microelectronics Division
Contract Officer: Erkelens-Sickinger, Franziska
Industrial Policy Measure: C1 – Activities in open competition limited to the non-Larg…
Last Update Date: 02/06/2020
Update Reason: Tender issue

As of today, there is a strong need for a next generation non-volatile re-programmable memory technology for space missions, with abroad range of applications ranging from FPGA companion dies to mass memory units. Current solutions commonly used are either not intrinsically radiation hard, low density or non-European.Within the European industrial landscape, promising, novel Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) technologies are found to be currently under research and development. Examples include solutions such as new Magneto-resistive RAM (MRAM), memory based on Ferroelectric Transistors (FeFET), Phase-Change Memory (PCM) and Resistive RAMs (RRAM). Althoughmainly being developed with terrestrial applications in mind, some technologies have the potential for enabling space products thatsuccessfully address and overcome certain issues of existing solutions.To pave the way for the future development of a new European NVM product, this activity aims to evaluate the most innovative solution and gain first insight from a space user perspective intothis novel technology. It shall look into the potential of the selected memory type with respect to key parameters such as radiation hardness, memory density, power consumption and switching speed, and into reliability aspects, such as temperature stability, dataretention, cycling and lifetime.This activity encompasses the following tasks:- Trade-off of potential technologies and selectionof most innovative and promising technology with regard to current and future needs of space applications. The decision shall take the memory cells as well as the choice of the best baseline manufacturing technology into account.- Test chip design based on current existing and functional memory IP blocks- Wafer manufacturing (MPW)- Packaging- Full electrical test on component level, including basic reliability testing- Radiation testing- Way forwardProcurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news „Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and RD entities in ESA programmes”.