Intel has formally unveiled its Starfire processor, a radiation-tolerant computing platform purpose-built for orbital and deep-space missions. The chip combines eight CPU cores, an integrated graphics engine with 64 execution units, and neural processing capable of delivering up to 75 trillion operations per second (TOPS) within a maximum thermal design power envelope of 35 watts. Engineered to meet the extreme size, weight, and power limits of space systems, Starfire is designed to support advanced onboard AI workloads while surviving the thermal and radiation stresses beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Heterogeneous architecture built on advanced nodes
The central processor mixes four performance-oriented P-cores with four low-power efficiency LPE-cores, all fabricated on Intel’s 18A process. The three-tile neural processing unit also uses Intel 18A, while the integrated GPU is built on Intel 3 and deploys four Xe cores housing a total of 64 execution units—a layout derived from Intel’s Panther Lake 4Xe3 configuration.
Two distinct power profiles for orbital flexibility
Intel is offering Starfire in two defined configurations tailored to different mission constraints. The low-power variant clocks the P-cores at 1.0 GHz and the LPE-cores at 850 MHz, with the GPU operating between 800 MHz and 1.0 GHz; total AI throughput reaches 45 TOPS inside a 10 W TDP. The performance configuration pushes the P-cores to 3.1 GHz, the LPE-cores to 2.1 GHz, and the GPU to 2.0 GHz, lifting AI performance to 75 TOPS while the TDP scales to 35 W. Both versions integrate LPDDR5 and DDR5 memory support alongside 12 PCIe 4.0 lanes. The chip is rated for a junction temperature range of –55 °C to 125 °C, and Intel projects an operational lifetime exceeding ten years.
Qualification path and availability
Radiation qualification is ongoing, with Intel still conducting tests for total ionizing dose, single-event latch-up, and other single-event effects. All Starfire fabrication will take place in the United States. Engineering samples are currently planned for the third quarter of 2026, though the company notes that specifications remain subject to change before the design is finalized for flight hardware.
Source: www.intel.com