Three Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE:CY) state-of-the-art CMOS Image Sensors for space applications are on-board the European Space Agency`s (ESA) Proba-2 satellite, which was successfully launched into orbit on November 2nd. Cypress`s new HAS2 image sensor, specially designed for high accuracy star tracking, is implemented on a new Star Tracker developed by SELEX Galileo of Italy.

The HAS2 image sensor is also being used in an extreme-ultraviolet telescope scientific experiment for solar corona observation. Additionally, Cypress`s STAR-250 image sensor is used on a new Digital Sun Sensor developed by TNO of the Netherlands. Both the HAS2 and STAR-250 devices were developed for the ESA by Cypress`s Image Sensor Business Unit in Belgium.

Cypress also announced commercial availability of the HAS2 image sensor, the latest development in the Cypress STAR family of radiation-tolerant image sensors. The device has an array of 1024 x 1024 active pixels (18 µm) and it supports on-chip Non-Destructive Readout and multiple windowing. The HAS2 sensor is qualified for space applications in accordance with the ESA`s European Space Components Coordination (ESCC) standards. Cypress will demonstrate its industry-leading custom and standard CMOS image sensor solutions at VISION 2009 in Stuttgart, Germany from November 3-5, in Hall 6, stand C 23.

Cypress`s radiation-tolerant STAR-250 image sensor was originally developed for an optical inter satellite link. Currently it is mainly used for sun sensor applications. The device has an array of 512 x 512 pixels (25 µm). STAR-250 is qualified for space applications in accordance with ESA`s ESCC standards and is commercially available.