Mercury's (MRCY) Space-Qualified SSD Powers Satellite System
Mercury Systems’ MRCY TRRUST-Stor 3U VPX RT solid state drive (SSD) has recently been launched as part of a new satellite constellation system into low Earth orbit (LEO). Notably, Mercury’s SSD had been employed by a leading defense prime contractor as part of its satellite constellation system.
SpaceVPX open systems architecture helps customers develop affordable space-qualified products while reducing program risks.
Mercury Systems Inc Revenue (TTM)
Mercury Systems Inc revenue-ttm | Mercury Systems Inc Quote
Evolving Space Market
Radiation-exposed space electronics fall into two categories: traditional space, and so-called “new space.” Although the traditional space consists of reliable, long-lasting electronic components, new space primarily comprises lower-cost components adapted for space.
Per Military & Aerospace Electronics, “new space represents an exploding market for future generations of large satellite constellations operating in LEO, which hold the promise of blanketing the Earth’s surface with wireless voice and data communications, access to the Internet, and new kinds of Earth-observing sensor data.”
Moreover, per the latest ResearchandMarkets report, the global space electronics industry is expected to witness a CAGR of 5.22% during 2019-2024.
Mercury Holds an Edge
Mercury has been developing advanced space-grade SSDs and signal processing solutions for space radar applications and space-grade components for high-radiation environments, to enhance its space-qualified product portfolio.
However, a growing market like space electronics market is bound to witness intensifying competition.
Apogee Semiconductor’s multi-faceted approach to produce low-cost radiation-tolerant components is making it increasingly popular among customers. It built a process design kit, TalRad, by collaborating with a commercial process foundry.
Another key competitor to Mercury in this area is BAE Systems BAESY, which produce radiation-hardened components. However, compared to Mercury’s parts, BAE Systems’ components are costlier. This provides Mercury a competitive edge.
Moreover, Mercury’s step of eliminating microprocessors entirely in its SSDs and instead using VHDL code and tables to run its FPGAs has given it a key advantage in the space market. Management believes that this adds more reliability because of the absence of code vulnerabilities that can take a long time to be detected and fixed. This, in turn, is driving adoption of the company’s components.
Notably, the company’s range of space-qualified RF and microwave solutions has been adopted on every successful mission to Mars.
Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to Consider
Mercury currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector are Cirrus Logic, Inc. CRUS and SYNNEX SNX, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Long-term earnings growth rate for Cirrus and SYNNEX is currently pegged at 15.27%, and 10.37%, respectively.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth.
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.
Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Bae Systems PLC (BAESY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
SYNNEX Corporation (SNX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Cirrus Logic, Inc. (CRUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Mercury Systems Inc (MRCY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
