PARIS, France, Jan 29, 2026 – NanoXplore and STMicroelectronics have announced the qualification of NG-ULTRA for space applications, advancing space FPGA adoption in satellite systems. The system-on-chip (SoC) FPGA targets low and medium Earth orbit constellations. It is expected to support satellite equipment for missions including Galileo, Copernicus, and IRIS.
“The ESCC 9030 qualification for the NG-ULTRA is a historic step. It proves that Europe now masters the entire production chain for cutting-edge digital components tailored to the requirements of both deep-space and new space constellations. Thanks to the support of the ESA, CNES, and the European Commission (via DG-DEFIS), NanoXplore & STMicroelectronics are securing EU strategic autonomy while making European satellites more competitive than ever,” said Édouard Lepape, CEO, NanoXplore.
“Space applications require robust sovereign supply chain, radiation-hardened and cost-optimized chips. ST is leveraging its expertise in GEO and LEO platforms with proven FD-SOI technology, hardening expertise, manufacturing, advanced packaging and quality assurance assets in Europe to enable NanoXplore’s NG-ULTRA to the New Space market,” said Thomas Goust, division general manager of space division, RF & optical communication sub-group at STMicroelectronics.
First Product Certified to ESCC 9030 for the European New Space Industry
NG-ULTRA is the first device qualified under ESCC 9030, a European standard for space microcircuits. The standard covers flip-chip devices on organic substrates or plastic packages for space applications. ESCC 9030 is intended to meet space reliability requirements while providing an alternative to traditional ceramic packaging, which is heavier and costly. The qualification supports satellite constellations and space missions.
The company positions NG-ULTRA for satellite constellations (Low and Medium Earth Orbits, higher volumes) designed to support onboard data processing rather than relying solely on ground-based systems. Processing data in orbit is intended to limit data transfer demands between satellites and ground networks.
NG-ULTRA is designed to handle a range of onboard satellite processing tasks. These include onboard computing, data routing between subsystems, and image and video compression. The device also supports Software Defined Radio (SDR), allowing communication modes to be updated remotely, and onboard autonomy (detection, recognition, supervision).
A Secure, European Supply Chain
The program organizes design, manufacturing, assembly, and testing activities across European locations. For NG-ULTRA, these functions are integrated within a European industrial framework. The approach brings together multiple stages of development and production for space-qualified components.
Technical Specifications
NG-ULTRA integrates processing cores and programmable logic into a single device, simplifying satellite electronics. This design reduces board-level complexity and component count while improving latency, mass, and power consumption. The FPGA SoC is built on STMicroelectronics’ 28 nm FD-SOI digital process, selected for its energy efficiency and tolerance to space radiation. Additional radiation-hardening measures allow the device to operate through launch stresses, thermal extremes, and long-duration orbital missions.
NG-ULTRA is designed to operate in radiation-intense space environments. It supports a Total Ionizing Dose (TID) of up to 50 krad (Si) and has been tested for resistance to single-event effects. Test results show Single Event Latch-up (SEL) immunity up to 65 MeV·cm²/mg and Single Event Upset (SEU) immunity at Linear Energy Transfer (LET) levels above 60 MeV·cm²/mg.
NG-ULTRA is built around a quad-core Arm Cortex R52 SoC that combines processing and programmable logic for onboard computing tasks. It delivers 537k LUTs and 32 Mb of RAM within a single architecture. This level of integration reduces PCB complexity and overall system mass, both key constraints in space design. Fewer components also help lower power consumption and project costs while supporting system reliability.
NG-ULTRA uses an SRAM-based architecture that supports an adaptive hardware approach, allowing reconfiguration in orbit. This approach lets operators update functions after launch, adapt to evolving communication standards, or adjust the chip for different mission phases. The flexibility helps keep space assets operational and relevant throughout the mission lifecycle.
NG-ULTRA is available with an evaluation kit designed for prototyping and system validation. The kit lets teams test performance and interfaces, address integration issues, and advance software and onboard logic development ahead of flight-board production.
Source: NanoXplore
About NanoXplore
NanoXplore is a French fabless semiconductor company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Sèvres, Île-de-France, France. The company designs radiation-hardened and commercial field-programmable gate arrays, along with system-on-chip devices, ASICs, design services, and supporting software tools. Its technologies target high-reliability environments, with applications in space, aerospace, defense, avionics, and industrial electronics. NanoXplore serves system developers and integrators building electronic systems for commercial and government programs. The company introduced its NG-ULTRA radiation-hardened FPGA SoC for space and avionics platforms. In 2024, NanoXplore expanded its engineering capabilities through the acquisition of ASIC design activities. NanoXplore works with European space agencies, research organizations, and commercial aerospace partners.
About STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics (ST) is a semiconductor company founded in 1987. It designs and manufactures microcontrollers, sensors, power devices and other analog and mixed-signal components. The company operates as an integrated device manufacturer with in-house production that supports large-volume supply for global markets. Its customers include automotive, industrial, consumer electronics and communications equipment manufacturers. ST also works with technology partners to develop components used in mobility systems, energy and power management equipment and connected devices. The company reports ongoing efforts to reduce emissions across its operations and increase the share of renewable electricity in its manufacturing sites, with a goal to reach full renewable sourcing by 2027. ST is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It serves more than 200,000 customers worldwide and employs about 50,000 people. Its technologies support applications that require efficient power conversion, sensing, processing and connectivity. The company expands its portfolio to support automotive, industrial, consumer and connected system applications through integrated design and manufacturing.