78 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2021
Tales from a Trailblazer: An Interview
with Christine Davis
E
Columnist Steve Williams recorded a series
of interviews with new I-Connect007 colum-
nist Christine Davis, president and founder of
contract manufacturer CAMtek, who recently
joined Zentech Bloomington. As a female busi-
ness owner in a male-dominated industry,
Christine has a unique perspective on what it
takes to thrive in the electronics industry, and
shares some of her stories and lessons learned
along the journey.
Space Launch System Exploration Upper
Stage Passes Critical Design Review
E
Boeing and NASA have successfully completed
a critical design review for NASA's Space
Launch System (SLS) Exploration Upper Stage
(EUS), confirming the EUS design for contin-
ued development and transition to hardware
build. Boeing has already started fabrication
activities that will support building the first
EUS at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans.
U.S. Congress Approves Funds for
R&D on Lead-Free Electronics in
Aerospace, Defense and High-
Performance Applications
E
On Monday December 21, 2020 the U.S.
Congress approved $10 million for research
into the issues surrounding lead-free electron-
ics in mission-critical applications. IPC, the
global association of electronics manufactur-
ers, and its allies had called for these funds to
be included in the Fiscal 2021 Defense Appro-
priations bill.
Elbit Systems Awarded $24M Contract to
Supply Tactical Computers for Royal
Netherlands Army
E
Elbit Systems Ltd. was awarded an approxi-
mately $24 million contract from the Dutch
Ministry of Defence to supply the Royal Neth-
erlands Army with new vehicular tactical com-
puters. e contract will be performed over a
30-month period.
L3Harris Technologies Demonstrates
Antenna Technology for U.S. Space Force
Satellite Communications
E
L3Harris Technologies has successfully com-
pleted a technology demonstration, under a
Defense Innovation Unit prototype contract,
for the U.S. Space Force satellite communica-
tion system to improve communications with
the agency's growing number of satellites.
A Martian Roundtrip: NASA's Persever-
ance Rover Sample Tubes
E
e tubes carried in the belly of NASA's Mars
2020 Perseverance rover are destined to carry
the first samples in history from another planet
back to Earth.
Sensible Design: To Coat or Encapsu-
late—Making an Informed Choice for
Electronics Protection
E
One of the most frequently asked questions we
receive from customers is, "Which is better to
protect my PCB: a coating or a resin?" In this
month's column, Phil Kinner demystifies why
one may be more suitable for your application
than the other and explores coatings and resins
in more detail.
