Session
Technical Session IV: Down The Middle
Abstract
An emerging class of small satellite missions requires assured operational lifetime and rapid development on a moderate budget. This paper describes a “Careful COTS” approach to component selection and testing to meet these needs. Commercial parts are selected based on best practices, and radiation tested to limits based on the modeled mission environment. High-energy proton testing allows simultaneous exploration of total dose, displacement damage, and some single-event effects. The authors have developed these methodologies over the course of a number of successful low-earth orbit missions. Provided the lifetime dose is under 30 krad, a solution can probably be realized with commercial parts. Various case studies of commercial parts that have failed under this dose are given.
Presentation Slides
Radiation Effects and COTS Parts in SmallSats
An emerging class of small satellite missions requires assured operational lifetime and rapid development on a moderate budget. This paper describes a “Careful COTS” approach to component selection and testing to meet these needs. Commercial parts are selected based on best practices, and radiation tested to limits based on the modeled mission environment. High-energy proton testing allows simultaneous exploration of total dose, displacement damage, and some single-event effects. The authors have developed these methodologies over the course of a number of successful low-earth orbit missions. Provided the lifetime dose is under 30 krad, a solution can probably be realized with commercial parts. Various case studies of commercial parts that have failed under this dose are given.
