Space Radiation Testing

Simulating the Space Environment

The purpose of the visit was to simulate the effects of the space environment surrounding Earth on a number of electronic components.

Our Sun, along with other stars, emits both electromagnetic radiation and energetic particles. These particles, which form part of the solar wind and cosmic radiation environment, may have enough energy to damage electronic devices intended for use in space. The best way to understand how sensitive a device is to these particle strikes is through direct testing.

Even a single satellite represents a significant financial investment, while a full satellite constellation represents considerably more. It is therefore essential to establish in advance that the electronic components selected for a mission will continue operating reliably for the required mission duration.

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Testing was carried out at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York using a synchrotron particle accelerator. The synchrotron allows components to be exposed to extremely high-energy ion beams in order to simulate aspects of the radiation environment encountered in space.

View along the synchrotron beamline at Brookhaven National Laboratory, used for high-energy particle testing of electronic components intended for space applications.

End of the synchrotron beamline where electronic components are exposed to high-energy ion beams during radiation effects testing.

Additional testing for the same project was also carried out at UCL in Belgium using a cyclotron facility. Whilst both facilities are used for radiation effects testing, the Brookhaven synchrotron is capable of achieving substantially higher particle energies.

Jonathan Riley setting up radiation effects testing equipment at the cyclotron facility during space environment simulation work.

Single Event Effects (SEE)

When testing with either a cyclotron or synchrotron, the aim is to determine what effect a single high-energy particle can have on an electronic device.

Because this testing focuses on the effects caused by individual ion strikes within semiconductor devices, these phenomena are referred to as Single Event Effects (SEE).

Depending on the device technology and the energy involved, a particle strike may cause temporary faults, corrupted data, latch-up events or permanent physical damage to the component.

Radiation Effects on Electronics

As energetic particles come to a halt within a material, they release energy through ionisation and other radiation effects. These interactions can disrupt the normal operation of semiconductor devices and, in some cases, cause lasting damage.

In addition to single particle effects, the cumulative effects of long-term radiation exposure must also be considered. Total ionising dose effects, including accumulated gamma radiation exposure, are assessed using different testing methods and form another important part of space qualification work.

Space Radiation Testing and High-Reliability Electronics

Radiation effects analysis and testing forms a critical part of modern satellite and aerospace development. Understanding how electronic systems behave in high-radiation environments is essential when designing reliable mission-critical hardware for long-duration space applications.

Jonathan Riley outside the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Due to the confidential nature of the projects involved, details of the specific devices and systems under test cannot be disclosed.