Integral Radiation Hardened Carbon-Carbon Telescope Housing

Future Exoatmospheric Interceptor Kill Vehicle (EKV) system upgrades will require nuclear radiation hardening of electro-optics subsystems. The current approach for hardening includes adding separate radiation shields or shielding of individual electronic components. High atomic number materials, such as gold, tantalum, tungsten or steel, are candidates for structural radiation shielding. These materials all provide effective shielding but at a significant weight penalty. SDC is currently developing a new seeker assembly under a Phase II SBIR which is designed to replace the existing beryllium design. SDC is using a carbon-carbon mirror and structure design, which is leading edge technology and due to its excellent structural, thermal, and optical properties has the potential to become the replacement baseline for seeker structures currently designed with beryllium. SDC has identified a lightweight, low cost, producible structural radiation shielding approach to address this EKV nuclear radiation hardening issue. By integrating high Z materials directly into the layup of the C-C it will be possible to take advantage of the low Z / high Z barrier that is formed by combining the two materials. This is beneficial in a radiation environment because a gradual decrease from the high Z material lessens the effects emitted particles from impact with the shielding material. This approach will allow for using lightweight structural composite materials for managing the mechanical loads. This program has shown that by using these materials, lighter weight mirror and telescope components can be used to replace the beryllium baselines.