Radiation shielding
Challenge:
The CubeSat and SmallSat sectors need a reliable, enduring and cost-effective alternative to prohibitively expensive radiation-hardened electronics.
Solution:
Titomic’s graded-Z shielding offers radiation protection at a lower mass compared to single-material shielding, while also extending the life of sensitive electronics – and cutting costs by reducing the need for expensive radiation-hardened electronics.
The optimal shielding design is mission-specific and depends on the radiation spectrum: the proportion of protons, electrons, and gamma radiation (a function of altitude and inclination) as well as the intended dose reduction (threshold of components, accumulated or single event upset dose).
Results:
- Increased radiation design margin
- Increased operational life by reducing accumulated dose effects and ‘filtering’ high-energy events
- Lower cost
- Lightweight
- Small payload volumes for easier shielding
- Lower altitudes and less critical mass-to-orbit
Case study
Irradiation testing was completed at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) in February 2022 to validate GEANT4 simulations.
Validation is currently underway to publish the depth-of-dose curves providing TID attenuation vs. areal density for space electron and proton spectra.
