indie SLEDs selected for satellite mission
indie Semiconductor’s 1550 nm optical sources have qualified for Europe’s CHIME Earth-observation mission, with launches planned for 2028 and 2030.
indie Semiconductor has announced that its photonics division’s superluminescent light-emitting diodes (SLEDs) have completed final space qualification testing and been selected for the Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission for the Environment (CHIME).
The European Earth-observation mission will use the company’s broadband 1550 nm SLEDs as onboard optical reference sources to calibrate its hyperspectral imaging instruments.
Maintaining stable calibration throughout the mission is essential to ensuring the accuracy and consistency of environmental data collected from orbit.
According to Indie, the selected SLED platform combines high optical power, broad spectral output and long-term stability to meet the demanding requirements of space-based sensing and instrumentation.
The devices will be deployed aboard multiple CHIME satellites, with launches currently scheduled for 2028 and 2030.
CHIME forms part of the European Union’s Copernicus Earth-observation programme and is designed to provide detailed hyperspectral data for environmental monitoring.
The selection expands Indie’s presence in high-reliability photonics markets beyond its established automotive focus.
Its 1550 nm SLEDs are also used in fibre-optic gyroscopes, which support precision navigation, guidance and stabilisation across aerospace, defence and space applications.
The qualification demonstrates the suitability of Indie’s optical components for demanding environments where reliability and long-term performance are critical.
However, the announcement concerns discrete optical sources rather than a newly developed photonic integrated circuit.
indie said the CHIME selection strengthens its position in space-qualified photonics and supports its strategy to expand into additional high-reliability markets.
