Intel Unveils Starfire Space Chips With 18A Process and Up to 75 TOPS

Intel has introduced its new Starfire system-on-chips, which target space missions that require strong radiation protection, stable performance, and long operating life. The company will manufacture these chips in the United States for the US Government using its advanced 18A process technology.

The Intel Starfire space chips come in Low-Power and Performance versions, while both models use an eight-core CPU design with four performance cores and four low-power efficiency cores. The Low-Power model runs its performance cores at 1 GHz and efficiency cores at 850 MHz, while the Performance version reaches 3.1 GHz and 2.1 GHz respectively.

Two versions for different space systems

Intel has designed the Low-Power Starfire chip for systems that need lower energy use, with a 10W thermal design power and up to 45 TOPS of AI performance. The Performance model uses 35W and delivers up to 75 TOPS for more demanding workloads.

Both chips include four Xe3 graphics cores, with clock speeds reaching 1 GHz on the Low-Power model and 2 GHz on the Performance version. Intel uses its 18A process for the CPU and NPU, while the integrated graphics use the Intel 3 process.

Starfire also includes protection against total ionising dose, single-event latch-up, and single-event effects. The chips can operate between minus 55 degrees Celsius and 125 degrees Celsius, which suits harsh environments where temperature changes can damage regular processors.

The platform supports 12 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, LPDDR5 and DDR5 memory, and Intel plans to offer more than 10 years of product support. Intel expects both Starfire variants to become available during the third quarter of 2026.