NASA Develops Robust Electronics for Harsh Conditions on Ocean Worlds

New silicon-germanium technology can withstand extreme cold and radiation on distant planetary bodies

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A NASA-sponsored team has developed electronics that can operate reliably in the harsh radiation and temperature conditions found on distant planetary bodies like Europa, an ocean world orbiting Jupiter. This new technology could enable autonomous sensors and robotic exploration of distant ocean worlds, as well as support NASA's goal to establish human outposts on the Moon and Mars by enabling electronic systems to function in those cold regions with reduced heating requirements.

Why it matters

Exploring ocean worlds like Europa is challenging due to the extreme environments, with high radiation levels and extremely low temperatures. Missions to these destinations require electronics that can function under such unforgiving conditions, without the need for power-hungry, heavy, and bulky protective 'warm boxes'. The new silicon-germanium technology developed by the NASA-sponsored team addresses this critical need.

The details

The team at Georgia Tech, led by Professor John D. Cressler, has demonstrated that silicon-germanium (SiGe) technology can achieve robust operation down to -180°C, with simultaneous radiation exposure as high as 5 Mrad. This is achieved through the internal physics of the SiGe transistors, which accelerate electrons moving through the transistor as it switches on and off, and minimize the use of radiation-soft oxides. The team has developed a power-efficient X-band (8-12 GHz) SiGe RF communications link that is less than 10 mm2 in size and operates flawlessly at -180°C and under 5 Mrad of radiation.

  • The NASA-sponsored project to develop the robust electronics technology began in 2021.

The players

John D. Cressler

A professor at Georgia Tech who led the team developing the silicon-germanium electronics technology.

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Assisted the Georgia Tech team in the development of the robust electronics technology.

University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Also assisted the Georgia Tech team in the development of the robust electronics technology.

NASA Planetary Science Division's COLDTech program

The sponsoring organization for the project to develop the silicon-germanium electronics technology.

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What they’re saying

“These new SiGe elements could support a wide variety of electronic needs for ocean world missions and other missions that need to function in cold temperatures, including communications systems, sensors, instruments, control systems, etc., each of which could operate without protection in an autonomous fashion.”

— John D. Cressler, Professor, Georgia Tech (NASA)

What’s next

The silicon-germanium technology developed during this project still requires additional development before it becomes commercially available. NASA plans to continue supporting the further refinement and testing of this technology to enable its eventual use in future missions to explore distant ocean worlds and other harsh environments.

The takeaway

The development of robust silicon-germanium electronics that can withstand extreme cold and radiation conditions represents a significant breakthrough for NASA's exploration of distant ocean worlds and other harsh planetary environments. This technology could enable a new generation of autonomous sensors, instruments, and communications systems to support future missions without the need for power-hungry protective enclosures.