Introduction

Dear Colleagues 

It is our pleasure to announce that the Electronic Materials & Packaging in Space (EMPS) symposium will take place at ESTEC in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, from 21-23 November 2023. 

The Symposium will be preceded by a training course on PCB and electronic assembly on 20 November 2023. 

Microprocessor chips and other EEE components do not function in isolation. 

They need to be interconnected within the electronic system, as well as protected from the harsh environmental conditions of the soldering processes, ground-based testing, launch and prolonged operation in the space environment.

Back-end packaging of chips and system level packaging by assembly of EEE parts on Printed Circuit technologies provide the mechanical and thermal protection for the sensitive EEE parts to operate reliably and in unison within the electronic system. 

With the end of Moore’s law bringing a halt to the miniaturisation of high-end electronics, industry investigate advanced packaging for making gains on overall functionality by higher levels of integration and embedding. 

The digitalisation of this manufacturing industry provides tools for process control, inspection of workmanship and modelling the physics of failure.

The functionality of the electronic system can only increase in a reliable manner when technology development of PCBs, electronic assembly and packaging occurs end-to-end.

The EMPS Symposium combines the three topics of PCB, electronic assembly and packaging for a review of the state-of-the-art developments in space and high-rel applications. The symposium is organised by ESA’s Materials and Processes section in collaboration with the Components Technologies section.

Participation and presentations are encouraged from industry and research institutes in every sector in the field of high-rel electronics manufacturing. 

We are looking forward to meeting an international audience of around 150 experts, including members from space agencies, space industry, research centres and universities. 

With kind regards,

The EMPS Organising Committee