Testing of COTS Systems in Space Radiation Environments

For long duration space missions beyond LEO there is a wealth of COTS hardware that could potentially be implemented for non-critical tasks within heavily shielded spacecraft cabins. To employ COTS systems for such missions, we propose to use a simulation/experimental/statistical approach for risk acceptance Radiation Hardness Assurance (RHA) suitable for Cis-Lunar and Cis-Mars missions. The simulation component will make use of Monte Carlo N-Particle transport codes to compute the likely secondary radiation environment within the spacecraft and determine the experimental parameters. The experimental component will bombard functioning COTS electronic samples in the AAMU Pelletron accelerator facilities in conditions as similar as possible to those found inside the shielded spacecraft cabins. The statistical component will comprise of a Bayesian methodology combined with an AI Decision Network capable of using a broad variety of historical, similarity, heritage, and specific experimental data for improved qualification and risk mitigation. At the completion of Phase I we expect to have demonstrated a robust and accurate RHA methodology that can be tailored to the risk tolerance appropriate for COTS electronic hardware. The Phase II program will refine and standardize the simulation techniques, testing will be conducted at accelerator facilities with energies gt;100MeV with a wider array of COTS electronics, and the statistical methodology will be refined. Additionally, in Phase II we will pursue commercialization of this risk acceptance RHA methodology to the nascent commercial space sector.