India has achieved a major milestone in space-grade electronics with the successful development and deployment of two 32-bit microprocessors—VIKRAM3201 and KALPANA3201—designed specifically for launch vehicle applications. These chips mark a significant step towards self-reliance in critical space technologies, reinforcing India’s capabilities in indigenous semiconductor development.
The VIKRAM3201 is India’s first fully indigenous, space-qualified 32-bit microprocessor, fabricated within the country. Designed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and manufactured at the 180nm CMOS fabrication facility of the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Chandigarh, the microprocessor represents a generational leap from its predecessor—the 16-bit VIKRAM1601.
The VIKRAM1601 has been an integral part of ISRO’s launch vehicles since 2009, with a fully “Make-in-India” version inducted in 2016, following advancements in domestic fabrication capabilities.
The VIKRAM3201 microprocessor features custom instruction set architecture, floating-point computation capabilities, and native high-level language support for Ada. All supporting software tools, including the Ada compiler, simulator, and IDE, have been developed in-house by ISRO. A C language compiler is also under development to further expand its application domains.
The chip has already demonstrated its space-worthiness, having successfully flown in the Mission Management Computer onboard PSLV-C60’s POEM-4 module.
Meanwhile, the KALPANA3201 is a 32-bit SPARC V8 RISC microprocessor, based on the IEEE 1754 Instruction Set Architecture. Designed for seamless integration with open-source software toolsets, it also includes an in-house simulator and IDE developed by ISRO. The microprocessor has undergone rigorous testing with flight software, positioning it as a versatile candidate for future avionics applications.
The official handover of the first production lots of these processors took place on March 5 in New Delhi. At a ceremony organised by SCL, S Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY, formally handed over the microprocessors to V Narayanan, Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, ISRO.
In addition to the microprocessors, four other indigenously developed devices were also handed over, contributing to the miniaturisation of the launch vehicle avionics system. These included:
Two versions of a Reconfigurable Data Acquisition System (RDAS), integrating multiple indigenously designed 24-bit Sigma-Delta Analog to Digital Converters on a single chip.
A Relay Driver Integrated Circuit.
A Multi-Channel Low Drop-out Regulator Integrated Circuit, designed for high-reliability applications.
These advancements shows India’s growing expertise in semiconductor technology and avionics, paving the way for more self-sufficient and advanced space missions in the future.
