Many space-rated pressure transducers rely on hybrid integrated circuit (IC) assemblies at the heart of their signal conditioning and DC-DC converter stages. When that IC encounters a supply chain constraint or radiation performance gap, the entire assembly is the problem — and your schedule absorbs it.

That’s why we built a space-rated pressure transducer that incorporates discrete components. By utilizing individual transistors, resistors, capacitors, magnetics and active devices — each specified and placed independently on the board — heritage applies at the component level rather than the assembly level. If a specific Grade 1 rad-hard component faces long leads, you can evaluate qualified equivalents from the NASA/DSCC database and execute a substitution in a matter of weeks, keeping production seamlessly moving.

The same discrete architecture is offered in Grade 2 reliability assurance levels and Grade 3 for engineering test articles. Because the electrical design is identical across all three, teams can prototype and validate with a lower‑cost Grade 2 or 3 unit early in development, then move to Grade 1 for higher reliability platforms with identical electrical performance.

This discrete architecture unlocks many advantages. While conventional transducers rely on large magnetic transformers switching at a low 30–40 kHz, our design operates at 250–450 kHz using a low-power, communications-grade transformer. This higher frequency delivers two important benefits:

• Size reduction: Shrinks the physical footprint, allowing modern discrete geometries to save spacecraft mass.
• RF cleanliness: Higher switching frequency moves noise away from sensitive measurement bands, providing flexibility to tune around vehicle specific RF notch restrictions.

Tested to commonly requested MIL-STD-461 for EMI/EMC requirements, our transducers include vibration, shock, thermal and EMI test data. For Tier 1 and Tier 2 aerospace suppliers, this test package means qualification by similarity is within immediate reach, reducing non-recurring engineering (NRE) costs and fast-tracking your spacecraft integration.

Learn more at https://www.sigmanetics.com/commercial-space/