The news that Chinese scientists have won the "World Aerospace Award" dominates the screen. The award shows that China's achievements in the field of lunar exploration are of great significance and far-reaching influence. It has been fully affirmed by international authoritative space agencies and also shows us China’s aerospace technology is at the world’s advanced level. Chips are indispensable for aerospace. Under the current background, if the United States tightens control of core chips, will it affect my country's aerospace science and technology?
Two consecutive rocket launches failed in March 2020, and the aerospace industry appeared to the darkest moment. According to media reports in this station, the Chinese rocket failed to launch twice within a month, mainly because of the lack of American chips. The report also quoted an expert from Taiwan's Foresight Rocket Research Center as saying: China's rocket development relies on American chips. If the United States embargoes, it will be difficult for China's space technology to advance. It is true that there is a gap in the aerospace level between China and the United States, but the rocket launch is a systematic project and cannot be attributed solely to the chip. The rocket itself is composed of more than 20,000 parts. In addition to the chip, there are many precision materials. The rocket body is made of high-strength carbon fiber. The combustion chamber can withstand 1-20 MPa (about 10-200 atmospheres) high pressure and 2500 ~3500K high temperature, need sufficient dynamic strength. The nozzle device is fixed on the rear head of the rocket engine, and super heat-resistant materials are required. As long as there is an error in one link, the rocket launch cannot be completed. Since the trade war, the United States has continued to suppress Chinese high-tech companies. Before, it restricted Huawei chip technology, and later banned MATLAB data processing software at Harbin Institute of Technology. It expanded from the hardware to the software level and wanted to completely restrict China's related enterprises and university technology research. Can this really hinder the pace of China's technological development? It is true that China's aerospace industry relied heavily on US equipment, materials, and software in the early stages of its development. US commerce was in charge and willing to export hardware. Both were a win-win situation. But to this day, if the trade war continues and the United States imposes an embargo on core chips, can our aerospace technology get rid of our dependence on the United States and develop independently?
The answer is certain. All aspects of China's semiconductors are progressing rapidly, showing a thriving group. Midstream wafer fabs are expected to make breakthroughs throughout 2020. SMIC’s 14nm has already been mass-produced, and 7nm is on the way; Yangtze Memory 64-layer 3D NAND is mass-produced, and the high-end 128-layer is on the way; Hefei Changxin DRAM is gradually mass-produced, Gradually drive upstream equipment such as the coating, cleaning, and etching equipment of North Huachuang, the etching equipment of China Micro Company, the coating and developing equipment of Xinyuan Micro, the vacuum equipment of Hanbell Precision Machinery, etc.; supporting consumable raw materials such as Shanghai Silicon Industry Mass production of 12-inch silicon wafers, Anji Technology's polishing fluids, 12-inch polishing pads of Dinglong Co., Ltd., Jiangfeng Electronics' high-purity target materials, and Shennan Circuit's packaging substrates, and a number of high-quality companies continue to make breakthroughs and innovations. Downstream supporting packaging and testing companies such as Changjiang Electronics Technology, Huatian Technology, Tongfu Microelectronics and other mainstream companies have gradually entered the packaging and testing of high-end chips such as CPU, RF, and 5G optical module chips.
In addition, the chip function in the aerospace field is relatively single, and does not require the complicated and huge processing and computing power like the chip in the civilian field. It focuses on reliability and stability. The requirements for chips in the civilian field have been elevated to an unprecedented level after entering the 21st century. All kinds of trendy games and graphics design have high requirements for chip capabilities. In contrast, military-level chips do not need to consider these complex graphics processing and model real-time calculations. The performance requirements are even higher than the civilian field. Some low-end. At the current level of chip development in my country, it can fully meet the requirements of the aerospace field.
