New Delhi, Aug 24: India’s growing semiconductor capabilities are finding an important place in the country’s space programme, with homegrown chips and other specialised components supporting missions ranging from lunar exploration to solar studies.
The development highlights the increasing role of indigenous technology in India’s efforts to build greater self-reliance in critical sectors. Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently highlighted the contribution of Indian-made semiconductor technology to the country’s space missions.
A major part of this effort is being led by the Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali, which develops specialised flight-grade chips and sensors designed to operate in the demanding conditions of space. Its work includes radiation-hardened chips, imaging devices, sensors and application-specific integrated circuits.
The technology has already travelled beyond Earth. Chandrayaan-3 carried an India-made camera chip developed by the Semiconductor Laboratory, supporting the lander’s imaging systems during its historic lunar mission.
India’s solar observatory Aditya-L1 has also benefited from indigenous semiconductor technology. The spacecraft uses radiation-hardened analogue-to-digital converter chips developed by the Semiconductor Laboratory for its scientific observations.
Indigenous technology is also making its way into India’s launch vehicles. The Vikram processor developed for space applications is being used in launch-vehicle systems, showing how domestic semiconductor capabilities are supporting not only scientific missions but also the infrastructure needed to send spacecraft into orbit.
Space electronics face some of the toughest operating conditions, including radiation, extreme temperatures and the intense stresses associated with launch. Developing such specialised components within India therefore represents an important technological achievement.
The growing use of Indian-made chips is also expected to strengthen the country’s ability to design and build critical space systems domestically. As India prepares for increasingly ambitious missions, indigenous semiconductor technology could become an even more important part of its space journey.
From the Moon to the Sun, the progress reflects a broader story of Indian science and engineering moving from dependence on specialised imports towards greater domestic capability.