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Projecte llegit

Títol: Study of COTS devices in ionizing radiation environments

Estudiants que han llegit aquest projecte:

Director/a: GUTIÉRREZ CABELLO, JORDI

Departament: FIS

Títol: Study of COTS devices in ionizing radiation environments

Data inici oferta: 06-02-2023     Data finalització oferta: 06-10-2023


Estudis d'assignació del projecte:
    GR ENG SIST AEROESP
Tipus: Individual
 
Lloc de realització: Fora UPC    
 
        Supervisor/a extern: Isaac Llorens
        Institució/Empresa: Sateliot
        Titulació del Director/a: Aeronavegació
 
Paraules clau:
Ionizing radiation, LEO, New Space, CubeSat, COTS.
 
Descripció del contingut i pla d'activitats:
Small satellites, especially those made in large numbers or
under low budgets, make ample use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf
(COTS) devices and technologies. Besides clear advantages in cost
and availability, COTS devices also offer increased performance
and capabilities as compared to most space qualified parts.

However, COTS devices are not designed and built taking into
consideration the particularities of the space environment, and
so it is necessary to study their behaviour and performance under
unusual conditions, like hard vacuum, large temperature
excursions and significant ionizing radiation fluxes.

This Degree Thesis is devoted to the analysis of the effects of
ionising radiation upon several COTS devices employing numerical
tests (using Spenvis and/or Fluka). As a first step, the
properties of the LEO environment along the solar cycle will be
characterised. Then, if the results are promising, we will
perform laboratory tests in a radiation source (1 MeV electron
gun).
 
Overview (resum en anglès):
The exposure to elevated radiation levels in space poses significant risks to spacecraft, space stations or satellites. Therefore, it is crucial to assess these risks associated with prolonged radiation exposure during any space mission. This thesis primarily focuses on the radiation environment in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and investigates the interaction between particles in this environment and various materials. By utilizing established empirical software models from SPENVIS, the thesis examines the dosage experienced as a result of radiation sources in the LEO space environment, considering factors such as orbital altitude, orbital inclination, and mission duration. The study delves into the physical processes that can lead to failures and long-term deterioration of electronic devices caused by solar radiation, high concentrations of trapped electrons and protons in the Van Allen radiation belts, as well as Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs). Additionally, this thesis examines the influence of these radiation sources on electronic components and systems carried on spacecraft. Moreover, the objective of this research is to provide an up-to-date overview of various methods employed to mitigate the impacts of ionizing radiation. Through the comparisons, it has been discovered that the parameters of the space radiation environment exhibit expected variations in relation to solar activity. During periods of solar maximum, the fluence of trapped electrons and solar protons tends to be higher compared to solar minimum conditions. Conversely, the fluence of trapped protons and galactic cosmic rays is greater. However, it is worth noting that during maximum solar activity, Total Ionizing Dose (TID), Total Ionizing Dose (DDD), and Single Event Effects (SEEs) all demonstrate higher values compared to minimum solar activity. For small satellites orbiting in this region, it is essential to employ shielding materials as the observed levels of TID, DDD, and SEE can potentially pose concerns for space systems engineers. However, employing aluminium shielding with a thickness of at least 1.5 mm, radiation effects can be reduced to acceptable levels, regardless of whether it is a period of maximum or minimum solar activity, even for missions lasting up to approximately five years.

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