Special Topics
Radiation Effects Testing
The type of testing required is a function of the mission environment as well as the system performance requirements. For example, a satellite orbiting in LEO can have drastically different test needs. What's the orbit altitude and inclination? The spacecraft will generally experience higher trapped particle fluxes at higher altitudes and inclinations in LEO. Additionally, the spacecraft can be more susceptible to galactic cosmic ray heavy ions and solar particles for polar orbits, since it's less protected by the geomagnetic fields. Do the launch date and planned mission life occur during solar minimum or solar maximum? What are the mission's reliability targets and performance requirements? These parameters will determine the acceptable failure rate for each subsystem and at the part-level. These are just some considerations that determine the type of radiation testing required.
Please check out the articles for heavy ion, proton, and pulsed-laser testing.
Resources
The SEE device response and testing techniques can be vastly different depending on the part type and technology. Below is a list of some test guidelines and lessons learned from NASA for some common part types in the industry (e.g. flash memory, FPGA, CCD, power MOSFET, voltage regulator & point-of-load).
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NASA lessons learned for CCD radiation effects and test issues
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NASA presentation on power MOSFET radiation assurance challenges
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Radiation test facility: