Space exploration is experiencing a resurgence with exciting new missions like the highly anticipated Artemis II mission, the recent successful lunar landing missions such as JAXA SLIM and Chandaaryan-3, and New Space deployments in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Designers require electronic components that meet stringent radiation and reliability standards to operate in the harsh environments found in space. Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP)today announces the SAMD21RT, a radiation-tolerant (RT) Arm® Cortex®-M0+ based 32-bit microcontroller (MCU) in a 64-pin ceramic and plastic package with 128 KB Flash and 16 KB SRAM.

Here are the key points about the new SAMD21RT microcontroller from Microchip Technology:

1. 1. It is a radiation-tolerant Arm Cortex-M0+ based 32-bit microcontroller designed for harsh space environments.
   2. The SAMD21RT is available in a small 10mm x 10mm footprint, making it suitable for space-constrained applications.
   3. It can operate at up to 48MHz and integrates analog functions like ADC, DAC, and analog comparators.
   4. The SAMD21RT is based on Microchip's existing SAMD21 MCU family, which is widely used in industrial and automotive markets, allowing for an easier design transition.
   5. To withstand radiation and extreme temperatures, the SAMD21RT can operate from -40°C to 125°C and has a Total Ionizing Dose (TID) capability up to 50 krad and Single Event Latch-up (SEL) immunity up to 78 MeV.cm²/mg.
   6. Microchip has extensive heritage in space applications, with their products being used in missions like Artemis, Space Launch System, Orion Spacecraft, Lunar Gateway, and more.
   7. The SAMD21RT integrates features like low-power modes, DMAC, event system, timers, and communication interfaces like SERCOM, I2C, SPI, and LIN.
   8. Microchip's in-house design and testing capabilities for radiation-tolerant and radiation-hardened devices is an advantage for space applications.