A Processor That Went to Mars
Why Intel Atom® E3845 Still Matters in 24/7 Industrial Computing
When it comes to industrial computing, the newest processor is not always the best choice.
For systems that need to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, stability, predictable performance, low power consumption, and long-term availability can matter more than having the latest generation of technology.
This is one reason the Intel Atom® E3845 remains an interesting platform for industrial applications.
From Embedded Computing to Mars
The E3845 became part of an extraordinary engineering story when an E3845-based computer platform was used in NASA's Perseverance Mars rover's imaging system.
Perseverance landed on Mars in February 2021 and operates in an environment where hardware maintenance or replacement is impossible. Its onboard computing systems must reliably process data generated by the rover's cameras while working within strict constraints on power, space, and system resources.
A Mars mission is obviously very different from an industrial computer on Earth.
But the engineering principle is similar:
When a system cannot afford unnecessary downtime, dependable embedded computing matters.
The use of the E3845 in such a demanding mission provides a remarkable reference for the maturity and capabilities of this embedded processor platform.
Bringing Proven Embedded Computing to Noah
At Shenzhen Broachlink Technology Co., Ltd., we apply the same principle to our Noah series of 24/7 industrial motherboards.
The Noah family—including NOAH3B, NOAH4C, NOAH5B, and NOAH6—is built around the Intel Atom E3845 platform.
Rather than pursuing performance for its own sake, Noah focuses on what industrial systems actually need:
- 24/7 continuous operation
- Low-power embedded computing
- Multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Rich I/O and expansion options
- Flexible wireless and storage expansion
- Broad operating system compatibility
- Long-term product availability
Depending on the model, Noah supports platforms including Linux, Ubuntu, Debian, pfSense, OPNsense, OpenWrt, Proxmox, and FreeBSD.
With a typical operating temperature range of 0°C to 60°C, Noah is designed for a wide range of industrial networking, edge computing, security, automation, and communication applications.
Built for Today. Available for Tomorrow.
Industrial customers need more than a motherboard that works today. They need a platform they can design around, deploy, and support for years.
Broachlink plans to maintain Noah product availability and supply support through approximately 2032, helping OEM and ODM customers reduce the risks associated with frequent hardware platform changes.
Backed by 20+ years of independent R&D experience, CE/FCC compliance, and technical support from product selection through after-sales service, Broachlink provides more than industrial hardware—we provide a platform for long-term applications.
One Processor. One Proven Philosophy.
The Intel Atom E3845 has traveled from embedded computing on Earth to a computing system operating on Mars. At Broachlink, we chose this mature embedded platform for a different mission:
to build reliable computing platforms for systems that are expected to run 24/7.
That is the philosophy behind Noah.
More detail：https://www.broachlink.com/product/106.html
