First-ever qualified chip marks a major milestone for Magics' space product line
Magics has officially completed the space qualification of its first integrated circuit: the MAG-TDC00002, a time-to-digital converter developed for high-precision timing in space environments. The qualification follows the full ESCC9000 standard, marking a first for Magics and a key milestone for the broader Clock & Timing product line.
The TDC development began with an ESA-funded project in late 2020. Following three tapeouts, the chip saw significant improvements in radiation performance, usability, and overall maturity. Qualification testing required multiple iterations, including three full HTOL (High Temperature Operating Life) test cycles, each running up to 2000 hours. Now, the final test concluded successfully.
“This is a technical milestone for our company. We’ve built many products, but this is the first one that’s gone through full qualification for space, and we’re proud of what that represents,”
said Hagen Marien, COO at Magics.
The MAG-TDC00002 is now commercially available and ready for deployment in mission-critical space systems. Designed in standard CMOS, it offers:
- 8 ps single-shot precision
- Zero dead zone and dynamic range up to 3 seconds
- Radiation-hardened by design
- Fully screened for flight based on ESCC processes
Applications include Time-of-Flight measurements for LiDAR and Earth observation, time-tagging for GNC systems, coincidence measurements for quantum key distribution, time-over-threshold readout for high-energy physics, and high-precision sensing in industrial and scientific systems.
🔗 More on Clock & Timing
This achievement reflects the dedication of the entire team, the lessons learned along the way, and the value of building electronics that meet the real-world demands of space.
