RADIATION EFFECTS EVENTS ON ELECTRONICS BASED

ON

ARDULAB – KICKSAT – ARDUSAT TESTING MODULES

Josean M. Reyes-Jemaris Martes

PROSSATeam – prossat.nasa@gmail.com

NASA Lunar Science Institute

Mentor: Dr. Sean Casey - Silicon Valley Space Center

Abstract

• "Definition of Radiation." Definition of Radiation. N.p., n.d.

Web. 21 July 2013.

• "Space Radiation Effects." Space Radiation Effects. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 21 July 2013.

• "Infinity Aerospace - Infinity Aerospace." Infinity Aerospace.

N.p., n.d. Web. 8 July 2013.

• "Kickstarter." Kickstarter. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 July 2013.

• "Space Apps Challenge." ArduSat. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July

2013.

• NSF

• Dr. Arratia, AGMUS institute of mathematics

• CCCE

• Lunar Science Institute

• Infinity Aerospace, Manu Sharma

• Made in Space

• Dr. Kathleen Morse, Radiation speaker

• Dr. Oana Marcu, Astrobiology department

• Zac Menchester, KickSat

• Dr. Sean Casey

• PROSSATeam

ResearchResource

AcquirementsProgramming Launching Testing

Introduction

Methodology

Programming

Theory

Future Work

References

KickSat “Sprite” ArduLab ArduSat

• Ardusat- Ardusat will give us the radiation exposure

data. Single Events Effect are expected while

orbiting on the LEO. It is expected at least, one

system rebut.

• Ardulab- It will run the algorithm. The algorithm

running on the board will tell us what damage was

caused using four LEDs as indicators. Total Ionizing

Dose or Single Event Effects is expected while

orbiting in LEO.

• Kicksat- A ground station will receive a signal code:

“prossateam”. Long term effects will be caused by

radiation to the chipsat. Total Ionizing Dose or

Displacement Damage will be expected while

orbiting on LEO.

Radiation is energy that comes from a source and travels

through some material or through space. Light, heat and

sound are types of radiation. The kind of radiation

discussed in this presentation is called ionizing radiation

because it can produce charged particles in matter. Ionizing

radiation is produced by unstable atoms. Unstable atoms

differ from stable atoms because they have an excess of

energy or mass or both. Unstable atoms are said to be

radioactive. In order to reach stability, these atoms give off,

or emit, the excess energy or mass. These emissions are

called radiation. Applied to electronics, radiation can have a

harmful impact. This is why, previously, investigators

studied carefully space weather and radiation. Based on

preliminary research it was found and established three

main radiation effect events. These events are adjudge for

causing partial damage or complete dysfunctional events

on electronics on past missions. The two main

characterizations for the three main radiation effect events

are: the long term effect, which avoids rebut or any

repairing to the electronic, and the single particle event,

which is a less harm event caused only by a single charged

particle. In the long term effect division we can mention the

Total Ionizing Dose (TID) and the Displacement Damage

(DD). In other hand, the Single Event Effect can be

classified as a Single particle event. It is precisely these

radiation effect events on electronics what this research is

looking forward to amplify. In order to predict the radiation

effects on electronics, ArduLab, ArduSat and KickSat

modules are being programmed and will be launched.

ArduLab is an open source science platform, Arduino

powered, built tough enclosure. The ArduLab module will

be exposed on the external platform of the ISS. ArduSat is

a 1U cubesat containing a variety of sensors and

conducted by an Arduino board. It will be launched from the

ISS and will be orbiting in LEO. Each Sprite is composed

by an antenna, microcontroller, solar cells, capacitors, a

magnetometer and a gyroscope. Taking advantage of these

new technologies, this investigation will test, monitor,

compare and diagnose the different radiation effect events

on these platforms.

• Based on this experiment’s results, further

research related to radiation effect events and the

specific causes, can be continued in order to

develop radiation mitigating techniques and

shielding.

• A comparison between the radiation effects on

electronics and radiation effects on biological

organisms can be studied using an ArduLab

module.

Conclusion

The launching for these three modules will be on the 2013

– 2014 period. The launchings are mainly coordinated

through Nanoracks.

Based on this research predictions, it can be inferred that

the three module experiments will function correctly for a

certain amount of time; nevertheless, the platforms are

highly susceptible to radiation damage, especially single

event effects.

After studying each module material and considering the

time period of exposure, it can also be predicted that the

ArduLab will be the most resistant platform module.

Variables are determined.

An algorithm its made.

LEDs algorithm

Solar Environment

During space history, a number of successful missions have

been achieved; on the other hand, failures have been

reported. A considerable amount of space mission failures

are attributed to radiation exposure factors. Furthermore,

many of these radiation damages are directly related to

electronic harms and connection problems throughout the

missions. With this research project it is intended to study

radiation effect events on electronics. Specifically, to

electronic open-source platforms, which are commonly used

on small missions like cubesats. The principal objective of

this research is to study the three main radiation events

effects (total ionizing dose, displacement damage and single

even effect), when using three different experiment platform

modules: ArduLab, Kicksat and ArduSat. These modules will

be exposed to radiation in different space environments and

time periods. After acquiring research knowledge about

space weather and radiation related topics, it is preceded to

program the three individual platforms. An algorithm is

formulated as the programming feature and main testing in

the experiment. This algorithm runs individually in each

assigned platform pin. In order to program the ArduLab and

ArduSat modules, a set of mathematic function are

developed and then downloaded to different pins in the

platforms. This helps identify the specific radiation effect

event on the electronic devices by each pin’s performance.

Referring to the Kicksat “Sprite”, a similar algorithm is

developed. Instead of sending coded data, the “Sprite”

sends different frequencies that serve as pin modes and

functionality indicators. It is expected that these platforms

will experience some radiation harm, mainly single event

effects that will provide valuable data about the operation of

electronics and the platforms behavior in these conditions.

Acknowledgements