New-generation microelectronics to be tested in outer space by Lobachevsky satellite

Lobachevsky University scientists will check the performance of memristors exposed to radiation in outer space.

A module based on memristors, microelectronic elements capable of increasing the speed and reliability of onboard spacecraft computers, will be installed on the platform of the Lobachevsky satellite that has the CubeSat 16U format. Scientists will test the immunity of memristors to space radiation environment, the stability of module control from Earth, the quality of data processing and signal transmission.

The study will be yet another scientific objective of the university satellite project in addition to its main mission – spectral remote sensing of the Earth.

The memristors have already demonstrated radiation hardness in preliminary ground tests. The results of successful simulation experiments were published in the international journal Chaos, Solitons and Fractals in 2025.

"Memristors open the way to implementing previously impossible computing concepts in spacecraft. Based on memristors, it is possible to create autonomous neuromorphic devices for recording and processing information without participation of an operator or a control algorithm on Earth. For example, for computer vision systems, this amounts to achieving a new level," said Sergey Shchanikov, Senior Researcher at the Research Laboratory for Stochastic Multistable Systems at the Research and Education Centre "Physics of Solid-State Nanostructures" of Lobachevsky University.

Specialised software being developed at Lobachevsky University will allow integrating memristive devices into any onboard computers, including those used in drones. Memristive devices on the Lobachevsky satellite will demonstrate the capabilities of novel microelectronics technologies and IT solutions for the space industry.

"Memristor-based neural interfaces can be controlled by the power of thought. This is especially important where remote control is required. We are developing a pulsed neural network for solving control problems in the nuclear industry, this work is being carried out in parallel with experiments at the Sarov Nuclear Center. The key signal processing module will operate using memristors," said Alexey Mikhaylov, Director of the UNN Research and Education Centre "Physics of Solid-State Nanostructures".

The studies of radiation tolerance of memristors were conducted within the framework of the research programme of the National Centre for Physics and Mathematics (Sarov). This research  motivated scientists to carry out full-scale tests of radiation tolerance as part of the federal programme "Priority-2030". Memristive devices are being developed by the Research and Education Centre "Physics of Solid-State Nanostructures" at Lobachevsky University.  

The launch of the Lobachevsky CubeSat is scheduled for the summer of 2025. The project is being implemented with the support of the Foundation for Promotion of Small Innovative Enterprises in Science and Technology.