Chennai: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have jointly successfully developed and tested an advanced semiconductor chip designed for space applications. The development is considered a major leap forward for India’s self-reliance in the space sector.
The chip, named ‘IRIS’ (Indigenous RISCV Controller for Space Applications), has been made wholly in India. No technical support from other countries was sought from design to manufacturing level in the making of this chip. Space scientists say that this technology would reduce dependence on foreign technology. The ‘IRIS’ chip was developed from the ‘SHAKTI’ processor baseline, which can also be used in diverse domains, from IoT to computing systems, for strategic needs.
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The chip, scientists say, will provide a reliable and efficient processing unit for space missions. A joint effort with ISRO Inertial Systems Unit, Thiruvananthapuram, the chip was manufactured at Semiconductor Laboratory Chandigarh and packaged at Tata Advanced Systems, Karnataka, showcasing a major step towards ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in addressing computing needs for space and other sectors.
The SHAKTI microprocessor project is led by IIT-Madras Director V Kamakoti at Prathap Subrahmanyam Centre for Digital Intelligence and Secure Hardware Architecture (PSCDISHA) in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Madras
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The SHAKTI class of systems are based on RISC–V and open source instruction set architecture (ISA) for designing custom processors, a release from IIT Madras said on Tuesday.
SHAKTI is supported by the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under its Digital India RISC – initiative (DIRV), which aims to promote indigenous development of microprocessor based products that offer best in class security and visibility for users adopting RISC–V technology .
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Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, called this achievement a proud moment for India’s semiconductor industry. “Every step, from chip design to software development, happened within India, proving that we have the capability to build high-quality semiconductor technology ourselves,” he said.
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan lauded the collaboration, saying, “This marks a major step in India’s ‘Make in India’ vision for semiconductors. We plan to test this chip in an actual space mission soon.”
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With this successful launch, India has taken a significant step towards self-reliance in semiconductor technology and strengthening its position in the global space sector.
