Design of a radiation-tolerant multi-band radio system for new space applications

Abstract

The utilization of commercial of the shelf (COTS) technologies for space application has been often avoided in the past by the space industry. With the commercialization of space, the so called “NewSpace” era, the use of only high-reliability and radiation-hardened (RadHard) devices becomes impossible, due to their high costs, long-lead times and political restrictions in terms of export control. Nevertheless, the reliability aspect should always be a major key driver for space missions. Thus, system designers for NewSpace applications are confronted with the challenge to develop a system that is on one hand low-cost driven and furthermore fulfil the high requirements for the use in space, specifically for the reliable operation in the predominate radiation environment. In this talk, a suitable approach is presented and demonstrated with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) development of a radiation-tolerant multi-band radio system. Key topics of this talk are how to choose RadHard, flight-heritage or COTS devices for NewSpace systems and whether selective radiation tests, from component to system-level, are required.