Sandia National Labs SA3000 8085 CPU

Sandia National Labs developed the SA3000, a radiation-hardened version of Intel's 8085 processor, beginning in 1982 to provide reliable components for nuclear weapons systems and space missions like the Galileo probe. The conversion from Intel's original HMOS design to a CMOS rad-hard process increased transistor count from 6,500 to 18,000 and was manufactured on a 3-micron process with enhanced voltage tolerance (4.5-11V) to withstand radiation exposure. Sandia also produced complementary support chips for the SA3000 and maintained specialized manufacturing capabilities to create components unavailable commercially for the most demanding environments.