Dublin –12th October 2017 –  S3 Semiconductors, a global supplier of Mixed-Signal and RF Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) solutions, today announced that it has been commissioned to advance new architectures for Satellite Transceiver technology under the auspices of a current ARTES Partner programme. S3 Semiconductors is very well positioned for future opportunities related to it. The programme is jointly funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and a leading mobile satellite communications services operator

ESA Director General Jan Wörner, John Halligan TD, Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John O’Brien, Darren Hobbs, Cormac O’Sullivan from S3semi and Tony McDonald, Enterprise Ireland

“At S3 Semiconductors we are delighted to be involved in the research and development of new technology which will underpin the delivery of innovative mobile satellite communication services in the future. For the mass rollout of these new services, it is imperative that these mobile satellite-connected devices have small form factors, are low on power and are economically viable for the market. This architecture development will enhance further our significant expertise in providing economic high-performance ASIC solutions. It aligns with our strategy to be the ASIC vendor of choice in the mobile satellite services market segment” said Dermot Barry, Vice President and General Manager at S3 Semiconductors.

The ESA funding for the program is provided by the member countries who are supporting this programme, including Ireland.

Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan T.D. welcomed the announcement: “This is a significant achievement by an Irish operation and the government is keen to support this R&D initiative under the ESA ARTES framework.  The development of this IP is central to S3 Semiconductors’ strategy in the mobile satellite communications market and will support future growth of the company and the addition of new high-value R&D product engineering jobs in its locations in Dublin and Cork in the coming years.“

Gearóid Mooney, Divisional Manager, Research & Innovation, Enterprise Ireland stated that “S3 Semiconductors is yet another example of the growing number of Irish companies benefitting from Ireland’s membership of ESA.  In line with the national strategy for ESA, this highly significant development contract will support further growth within the company in key export markets”.

About S3 Semiconductors

S3 Semiconductors designs advanced mixed-signal chips and manage every aspect of supplying production devices to its customers using some of the world’s most advanced semiconductor production facilities. With more than 20 years’ experience designing advanced analog and digital circuitry for hundreds of customers in every major region, S3 Semiconductors delivers a new breed of design-centric semiconductor supplier capable of optimising its designs for every customer, yet achieving cost economies not thought possible with custom chips designs until now. S3 Semiconductors has its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with offices in Cork, the US, Portugal, the Czech Republic, along with representatives worldwide. Visit  www.s3semi.com

The European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. ESA is an intergovernmental organization, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. ESA develops the launchers, spacecraft and ground facilities needed to keep Europe at the forefront of global space activities. Today it launches satellites for Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications, and astronomy, sends probes to the far reaches of the Solar System and cooperates in the human exploration of space.  www.esa.int

ESA plays a critical role in developing a strong European Space programme and space industry and has been fundamental to in developing the specialized, highly innovative, industrial capabilities that exist in the Irish space sector.  ESA:

• Provides a significant capital investment support for in-company & 3rd level RDI in leading-edge space technologies for commercial exploitation in the global space and non-space markets for the SME and MNC sector.
• Supports the Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland strategy of supporting high potential start-ups, company scaling, as well as foreign direct investment.
• Provides prioritized support for technology innovation and technology transfer that leads to exports, sales and employment generation by Irish industry.
• A platform to fully exploit the opportunities of the Global space market and maximise the financial return and economic impacts of Ireland’s significant financial contributions to the EU space programme budgets.

More details on Enterprise Ireland, managing Ireland’s investment in the European Space Agency

Enterprise Ireland co-ordinates Ireland’s industrial and research participation in the programmes of the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

The purpose of Ireland’s membership of ESA is to participate in European space programmes with a focus on facilitating innovative Irish companies to develop leading-edge space technologies and to commercially exploit their ESA participation in global space and non-space markets, leading to increased export sales and employment.

Enterprise Ireland’s role in relation to ESA is to assist Irish companies to successfully bid for ESA contracts, providing expertise for Irish companies and researchers in developing and executing space strategies, as well as being a point of reference for the international space industry when they want to identify relevant sources of space-related expertise within Ireland.

Irish industrial and research participation in ESA covers a range of sectors and technology areas including; software, precision mechanical engineering, telecommunications, electronics, optoelectronics and advanced materials and extending to end-user equipment, services and applications.



Contact:

S3 Semiconductors
Darren Hobbs
Director of Marketing & Strategy
+353 1 563 2000
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