Silicon Sensing Celebrates 25th Anniversary and Growing Space Sector Business At Space-Comm Expo 2024
- DMU41 IMU now in use in multiple LEO applications
- 65% sales growth across the business in 5 years
- Visit us at Space-Comm Expo, stand J15.
This year at Space-Comm Expo in Farnborough, UK, Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd will celebrate the success of its tactical-grade DMU41 inertial measurement unit (IMU) which, over the last 12 months, has been selected for multiple deployments on platforms in low earth orbit (LEO).
The DMU41 redefines the capabilities of MEMS technology, delivering tactical-grade, high-performance inertial sensing in a small and cost-effective unit. Just over 50mm3 and weighing less than 180 grams, this robust product operates in temperatures from -40°C to +85°C, offering new levels of reliability and adaptability in the harshest environments.
David Sommerville, General Manager, Silicon Sensing Systems, comments: “Typically, our DMU41 is used to enable accurate, sustained satellite positioning in LEO for earth observation, high resolution imaging and geospatial data collection – which continues throughout the 3-to-4-year operational life cycle of the satellite.”
Silicon Sensing is also celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, with a sales growth of over 65% in just five years. Interest in the company’s rugged, compact, solid-state technology has expanded significantly as demand has grown for precise, reliable motion sensing for ever-shrinking platforms – including satellites. A number of products, from tiny navigation and pointing gyros to full 6 axis inertial measurement units (IMU’s), are already in use across a range of space programmes. All are based around the company’s patented, vibrating ring micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors, which are manufactured in the company’s foundry in Japan.
Looking to the future, Sommerville continues: “Our latest products on the market are delivering tactical grade performance levels, exceeding the envelope typically expected of MEMS technology. And we expect our next generation of products will reflect our new mission statement by truly redefining MEMS inertial. For the first time, Silicon Sensing will offer navigation-level inertial sensing performance in a compact, robust and cost effective MEMS package.”
