STMicroelectronics has shipped more than 5 billion radio-frequency antenna chips to Elon Musk’s SpaceX for the Starlink satellite network, and chips delivered under the partnership in the next two years could double that number, a senior executive at the chipmaker told Reuters.
The partnership between STMicroelectronics and SpaceX has been running for approximately a decade, with their collaboration beginning around 2015. Ten years after Musk met with Jean-Marc Chery, the CEO of one of Europe’s largest chipmakers, STMicroelectronics is disclosing the scale of their fast-growing space contract that has become a driver for its specialised chip business.
Why it’s important
STMicroelectronics is now revealing the full scale of their contract with SpaceX, showing how significant the partnership has become for the chipmaker’s specialized semiconductor business. The disclosure comes as the commercial space industry experiences rapid growth, with satellite constellations requiring massive quantities of specialized components.
Key quotes
The past 10 years of user terminals in terms of volume could actually double over the next two years, Remi El-Ouazzane, president of STMicro’s microcontrollers and digital integrated circuits division, said in the interview without giving specific targets.
I expect many lower-orbit satellite players to leverage the technology, El-Ouazzane said about the BiCMOS-based antenna chips used in Starlink user terminals. The executive’s comments suggest that STMicro anticipates growing demand from satellite operators beyond SpaceX.
Context
The space industry is shifting from government-led projects to a fast-growing commercial market. This transformation is being driven by companies like SpaceX, Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Amazon’s planned Leo network.
This boom is creating demand for specialised chips that can handle high data rates and survive harsh conditions in space. The requirements for space-grade semiconductors are significantly more demanding than terrestrial applications.
By the numbers
STMicro has delivered more than 5 billion radio-frequency front-end modules or antenna elements to SpaceX since their collaboration began around 2015. These chips are critical components of the user terminals that allow Starlink subscribers to connect to the satellite network.
Starlink operates in more than 150 markets and has around 8 million users, according to its website. Each user terminal requires multiple antenna chips to function, accounting for the massive volume of components supplied by STMicroelectronics over the past decade.
What’s next
STMicro will supply the upcoming inter-satellite laser links for SpaceX platforms, expanding the partnership beyond user terminal components. These laser communication systems enable satellites to communicate directly with each other in orbit.
The company is also working with European players such as Thales and Eutelsat on projects including the European Union’s planned Iris 2 satellite constellation, which aims to provide communications infrastructure for European governments and commercial customers.
