Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “NASA SPACE RADIATION LABORATORY”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Outflowing photoionized plasma in Circinus X-1 using the high-resolution X-ray spectrometer Resolve onboard XRISM and the radiative transfer code cloudy

High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy is a key to understanding the mass inflow and outflow of compact objects. Spectral lines carry information about the ionization, density, and velocity structures through their intensity ratios and profiles. They are formed in non-local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions under the intense radiation field from the compact objects; thus radiative transfer (RT) calculation is a requisite for proper interpretations. We present such a study for a low-mass X-ray binary, Circinus X-1, from which the P Cygni profile was discovered using the X-ray grating spectrometer onboard Chandra. We observed the source using the X-ray microcalorimeter onboard XRISM at an orbital phase of 0.93–0.97 and revealed many spectral features unidentified before: the higher series transitions ($n{\rightarrow }1$; $n>2$) of highly ionized (H- and He-like) S, Ca, Ar, and Fe in emission and absorption, the Fe K$\alpha$ and K$\beta$ inner-shell excitation absorption of mildly ionized (O- to Li-like) Fe, and resolved fine-structure level transitions in the Fe Ly$\alpha$ and He$\alpha$ complexes. They blend with each other at different velocity shifts on top of apparently variable continuum emission that changed its flux by an order of magnitude within a 70 ks telescope time. Despite such complexity in the observed spectra, most of them can be explained by a simple model consisting of the photoionized plasma outflowing at $\sim$300 km s$^{-1}$ and the variable blocking material in the line of sight of the incident continuum emission from the accretion disk. We demonstrate this with the aid of the RT code cloudy for the line ratio diagnostics and spectral fitting. We further constrain the physical parameters of the outflow and argue that the outflow is launched close to the outer edge of the accretion disk and can be driven radiatively by being assisted by the line force calculated using the RT simulation.

X-rays: binaries↗
NASA NTRS1998

Analysis of the pre-flight and post-flight calibration procedures performed on the Liulin space radiation dosimeter

Liulin, a dosimetry-radiometry system, was developed to satisfy the requirements for active flux and dose rate measurements for the flight of the second Bulgarian cosmonaut in 1988. The system consists of a compact battery-operated silicon solid state detector unit and a read/write microcomputer and telemetry unit. We describe the pre-flight calibrations with charged particles, using radioactive sources and accelerated 170 MeV/nucleon proton and alpha particles at the Dubna, Russia cyclotron. We discuss comparisons with data obtained on Mir with the French-built tissue equivalent LET spectrometer NAUSICAA. Lastly, we describe post-flight calibrations performed with 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe ions at the Brookhaven National Laboratory AGS accelerator, where the instrument was mounted in tandem with several thin position-sensitive silicon detectors behind a stopping target. The silicon detectors provided an energy spectrum for the surviving charged nuclear fragments for which the flux and absorbed dose were recorded by Liulin.

long duration↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

rHealth One Demonstration Aboard ISS: A Microfluidic Bioanalyzer Based on Sheath/Hydrodynamic Focusing Flow Cytometry

The Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) element aims to provide astronauts with the means for their own health monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment during exploration missions. As space flight ventures further from earth, the need for autonomous medical care increases under greater constraints on size, mass, and resources. One pillar for diagnosis that crew would be separated from is laboratory analysis. Even now on ISS, blood samples must be collected and returned to earth for testing. In response, ExMC is assessing how assays for hematology, bone health, radiation exposure etc. could be addressed through commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funded bioanalyzers that are miniaturizing lab technology. Since missions will reach distances where there are no timely replacements, validation on the International Space Station (ISS) is a necessary part of that assessment. In partnership with NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Immunology Lab and the Research Operations and Integration (ROI) element, ExMC conducted a technology demonstration on ISS of the rHEALTH ONE, a flow cytometry based bioanalyzer, to assess future devices based on this design. In flow cytometry, there are predominantly three ways to focus the cells (or particles) into a single file stream: hydrodynamic focusing, microcapillary, and acoustic focusing. The rHEALTH ONE utilizes the commercial standard, sheath-based hydrodynamic focusing. rHEALTH itself represents both a company and a suite of medical tools NASA has funded through SBIR grants towards the development of a promising diagnosis instrument for exploration missions. rHEALTH ONE is the interim version of the technology, functional as a benchtop analyzer and test bed for the next generation of rHEALTH in development. Several modifications were made to the rHEALTH ONE analyzer for operation in microgravity. For function, fluid management was key. A sheath-based analyzer uses sheath fluid to flow the sample, cleaning fluid to prevent biological contamination, and a reservoir to collect the liquid waste. The rHEALTH ONE analyzer uses bottles dependent on gravity to separate the air and liquid pathways and keep the liquids contained. It uses only 1 psig of air pressure to directly push the liquid through the device, requiring little-to-no resistance at inlet and outlet. A microtubing assembly with self-sealing luer connectors was designed – featuring 0.014 mm thick durable medical balloons to hold water inside the supply bottles – to create safe containment and easy access for the crew while maintaining the analyzer’s function. For safety, copper tape was added to the interior of the plastic housing to reduce electromagnetic interference, fluid and electrical connections were secured against vibration and leaks, and gaps were further sealed to ensure containment of the optical block and lasers. Water as the sheath and cleaning fluid and TOX 0 samples were used to reduce the biohazard risk to the crew. In May 2022, European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti demonstrated the rHEALTH ONE aboard ISS for its sample loading, flow cytometry, and data collection capability in microgravity. The JSC Immunology Lab provided flow cytometry expertise, designed the sample test protocol, and manufactured and benchmarked the flight samples on a ‘gold-standard’ flow cytometer. The analyzer was primed with water, purged of air, and four calibration solutions of polystyrene microparticles were tested to characterize its performance. Tightly controlled procedures and excellent execution prevented air bubble interference during air/water separation, fluid transfer, sample mixing and loading. Data showed a slight increase in signal noise on 3 of 5 channels and an anomaly of fluorophores migrating in one sample (confirmed by JSC post-flight). Flight results correctly detected the change in sample, matched the analyzer’s ground performance, and were consistent with the gold-standard’s ground results. Although areas were noted for improvement, these outcomes signified complete mission success.

R. S. Miller↗
DOE OSTI2025

One Million Open-source Cislunar Orbits

Cislunar space, encompassing the region from geosynchronous orbit to beyond the Moon, is poised to become a cornerstone for future exploration, scientific discovery, and national security. Missions in this region, spanning durations from weeks to decades, require robust infrastructure and reliable transit capabilities. The complex gravitational influences of the Moon, Sun, and planets, along with thermal radiation from Earth and the Sun, lead to significant trajectory deviations, resulting in kilometer-scale errors within days. Leveraging the high-performance computing resources at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), we have simulated one million high-fidelity cislunar trajectories, now publicly available via LLNL’s Green Data Oasis and the Unified Data Library. Generated using the open-source Space Situational Awareness Python package, these trajectories match the precision of commercial tools such as AGI’s Systems Tool Kit and NASA’s General Mission Analysis Tool. This data set is a valuable resource for reference, statistical analysis of cislunar orbit populations, and training machine learning models for rapid orbit classification with minimal observational input. Preliminary analysis reveals stable bands in Keplerian element space, particularly around five geosynchronous radii across a range of inclinations and eccentricities. Beyond this threshold, the Moon’s influence disrupts most unassisted orbits, though co-orbiting L4/L5 Lunar Trojans persist throughout the six-year simulation.

Astronomy and AstroPhysics↗
NASA NTRS1993

LDEF thermal control coatings post-flight analysis

The NASA Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) provided a unique flight opportunity for conducting experiments in space and return of these experiments to Earth for laboratory evaluation. The results of one of these experiments, S0010, Exposure of Spacecraft Coatings, in which selected spacecraft thermal control coatings were exposed to the low-Earth orbital (LEO) environment on LDEF are reported. The objective of the experiment is to evaluate the response of thermal control coatings to LEO exposure, which includes atomic oxygen, ultraviolet and particulate radiation, meteoroid and debris, vacuum, and temperature cycling.

Slemp, Wayne S.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Laboratory Measurements of Charging of Apollo 17 Lunar Dust Grains by Low Energy Electrons

It is well recognized that the charging properties of individual micron/sub-micron size dust grains by various processes are expected to be substantially different from the currently available measurements made on bulk materials. Solar UV radiation and the solar wind plasma charge micron size dust grains on the lunar surface with virtually no atmosphere. The electrostatically charged dust grains are believed to be levitated and transported long distances over the lunar terminator from the day to the night side. The current models do not fully explain the lunar dust phenomena and laboratory measurements are needed to experimentally determine the charging properties of lunar dust grains. An experimental facility has been developed in the Dusty Plasma Laboratory at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center MSFC for investigating the charging properties of individual micron/sub-micron size positively or negatively charged dust grains by levitating them in an electrodynamic balance in simulated space environments. In this paper, we present laboratory measurements on charging of Apollo 17 individual lunar dust grains by low energy electron beams in the 5-100 eV energy range. The measurements are made by levitating Apollo 17 dust grains of 0.2 to 10 micrometer diameters, in an electrodynamic balance and exposing them to mono-energetic electron beams. The charging rates and the equilibrium potentials produced by direct electron impact and by secondary electron emission processes are discussed.

Abbas, Mian M.↗
NASA NTRS2022

A High-fidelity Performance and Sensitivity Analysis of X-ray Pulsar Navigation in Near-Earth and Cislunar Orbits

Millisecond X-ray pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars that emit broadband electromagnetic radiation, including X-rays. These emissions can appear as pulsations to distant observers with long-term stabilityrivaling laboratory atomic clocks. The concept of using X-ray pulsars for navigation, commonly referred to as XNAV, has a long history in the research literature. Notably, in 2017, NASA’s Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation (SEXTANT) mission,a technology enhancement to the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer, made a successful on-orbit demonstration of XNAV on the International Space Station (ISS) in Low-Earth-Orbit. This paper investigates the performance of XNAV in Earth and lunar regimes using a new high-fidelity XNAV analysis tool that builds on tools developed for SEXTANT and uses recent updates to the Goddard Enhanced Onboard Navigation System flight software. Specifically, we study the use of XNAV in an ISS-like orbit for comparison with SEXTANT results, in a highly-inclined geosynchronous orbit, and in an Earth-Moon L1 libration point Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit similar to that proposed for the planned lunar Gateway space station. This paper provides a high-level description of the XNAV analysis tool, baseline predicted performance results, selected sensitivity analyses, and conclusions.

Luke B Winternitz↗
NASA NTRS2022

Atmospheric Research 2021 Technical Highlights

Welcome to the 2021 Atmospheres Highlights report. Here, we summarize research and scientific communication/outreach accomplishments from the portion of atmospheric science activities at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) that comprises the Earth Science Division’s Atmospheres organization. As in previous years, this report is intended for a broad audience, including colleagues within NASA, scientists outside the Agency, science graduate students, and members of the public. Organizationally, the report covers research activities under the Office of Deputy Director for Atmospheres (610AT), which is within Earth Sciences Division (Code 610) in the Sciences and Exploration Directorate (600). Laboratories and office within 610AT include: Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes Laboratory (612), Climate and Radiation Laboratory (613), Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory (614), and the Wallops Field Support Office (610.W). As of this writing, the 266 personnel in Code 610AT consist of 53 civil servants and 213 cooperative agreement associates, postdoctoral fellows and contractors.

Annual Report↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Selection, Production, and Properties of Regolith Polymer Composites for Lunar Construction

NASA’s Artemis Program seeks to establish a long-term presence on the Moon to enable scientific exploration and expand the cis-lunar economy by utilizing lunar resources through public-private and international partnerships. Over the next decades, a lunar spaceport will need to be established to provide the services and facilities that are necessary to achieve this goal. Robotic construction technologies using in-situ materials must be developed to build up enabling infrastructure such as launch/landing pads, blast protection, power/communications infrastructure, improved roads, improved operational surfaces, and radiation protection shelters. Kennedy Space Center’s Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations laboratory at Swamp Works has partnered with SpaceFactory and LERA Consulting Structural Engineers to develop the architectural and structural design of an unpressurized lunar shelter. The shelter, called Lunar Infrastructure Asset (LINA), is designed to support 2.3 m of regolith overburden to protect astronauts and surface assets from radiation, meteoroid impact, thermal gradients/cycling, and to withstand moonquakes. LINA’s structural design criteria and the resulting structure design are detailed in separate papers. A Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) construction process using regolith polymer composites has been developed and is detailed in a separate publication. This paper presents material formulations and selection rationale for each of the composite components that were examined. Formulations include 70:30, 80:20, and 85:15 wt.% mixture ratios of lunar mare simulant Black Point-1 (BP-1): Polylactic Acid (PLA), 80:20 Lunar Highlands Simulant-1 (LHS-1): PLA and an 80:20 BP-1: PLA formulation with a flow enhancer additive. Test samples were printed in simulated lunar dirty thermal vacuum conditions (-190 °C, 10-3 torr). A series of tests were performed on each formulation to characterize the achieved mixture ratio, mechanical strength properties, off-gassing products during vacuum printing, and porosity and density of printed products. The LHS-1: PLA formulation yielded an advantageous combination of properties and was used in a final test that additively constructed a sub-scaled LINA on regolith simulant in dirty vacuum conditions. The materials and construction process presented in this paper are considered to be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 with additional testing necessary to characterize long term lunar environmental exposure effects.

lunar infrastructure↗
NASA NTRS2014

Experimental Investigations of the Physical and Optical Properties of Individual Micron/Submicron-Size Dust Grains in Astrophysical Environments

Dust grains constitute a significant component of matter in the universe, and play an important and crucial role in the formation and evolution of the stellar/planetary systems in interstellar dust clouds. Knowledge of physical and optical properties of dust grains is required for understanding of a variety of processes in astrophysical and planetary environments. The currently available and generally employed data on the properties of dust grains is based on bulk materials, with analytical models employed to deduce the corresponding values for individual small micron/submicron-size dust grains. However, it has been well-recognized over a long period, that the properties of individual smallsize dust grains may be very different from those deduced from bulk materials. This has been validated by a series of experimental investigations carried out over the last few years, on a laboratory facility based on an Electrodynamic Balance at NASA, which permits levitation of single small-size dust grains of desired composition and size, in vacuum, in simulated space environments. In this paper, we present a brief review of the results of a series of selected investigations carried out on the analogs of interstellar and planetary dust grains, as well as dust grains obtained by Apollo-l1-17 lunar missions. The selected investigations, with analytical results and discussions, include: (a) Direct measurements of radiation on individual dust grains (b) Rotation and alignments of dust grains by radiative torque (c) Charging properties of dust grains by: (i) UV Photo-electric emissions (ii) Electron Impact. The results from these experiments are examined in the light of the current theories of the processes involved.

Abbas, M. M.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Ballooning for Biologists: Mission Essentials for Flying Experiments on Large NASA Balloons

Despite centuries of scientific balloon flights, only a handful of experiments have produced biologically-relevant results. Yet unlike orbital spaceflight, it is much faster and cheaper to conduct biology research with balloons, sending specimens to the near space environment of Earths stratosphere. Samples can be loaded the morning of a launch and sometimes returned to the laboratory within one day after flying. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) flies large, unmanned scientific balloons from all over the globe, with missions ranging from hours to weeks in duration. A payload in the middle portion of the stratosphere (approx. 35 km above sea level) will be exposed to an environment similar to the surface of Mars: temperatures generally around -36 C, atmospheric pressure at a thin 1 kPa, relative humidity levels <1%, and a harsh illumination of ultraviolet (UV) and cosmic radiation levels (about 100 W/sq m and 0.1 mGy/d, respectively) that can be obtained nowhere else on the surface of the Earth, including environmental chambers and particle accelerator facilities attempting to simulate space radiation effects. Considering the operational advantages of ballooning and the fidelity of space-like stressors in the stratosphere, researchers in aerobiology, astrobiology, and space biology can benefit from balloon flight experiments as an intermediary step on the extraterrestrial continuum (ground, low Earth orbit, and deep space studies). Our presentation targets biologists with no background or experience in scientific ballooning. We will provide an overview of large balloon operations, biology topics that can be uniquely addressed in the stratosphere, and a roadmap for developing payloads to fly with NASA.

Smith, David J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The centrifuge facility - A life sciences research laboratory for Space Station Freedom

The paper describes the centrifugal facility that is presently being developed by NASA for studies aboard the Space Station Freedom on the role of gravity, or its absence, at varying intensities for varying periods of time and with multiple model systems. Special attention is given to the design of the centrifuge system, the habitats designed to hold plants and animals, the glovebox system designed for experimental manipulations of the specimens, and the service unit. Studies planned for the facility will include experiments in the following disciplines: cell and developmental biology, plant biology, regulatory physiology, musculoskeletal physiology, behavior and performance, neurosciences, cardiopulmonary physiology, and environmental health and radiation.

Fuller, Charles A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

On the New Optical Constants Database (OCdb) and its Importance for the Interpretation of Observational Data

The Optical Constants database(ocdb.smce.nasa.gov) came online in February 2023 and provides complex refractive indices of laboratory-generated organic refractory materials and ices relevant to (exo) planetary and astrophysical environments.The goal of the OCdb is to centralize published optical constants data to facilitate both their access by the scientific community and their use to analyze observational data returned by space missions and ground-based observatories. Computational tools are also under development to facilitate scientific use of the available OCdb optical constants data sets. Investigators generating laboratory optical constants are therefore encouraged to contribute their data to OCdb in order to increase the availability of their data and to enhance the scientific effectiveness of the database. Optical constants are critical input parameters in models (e.g.,radiative transfer, atmospheric, and reflectance spectral models)that are used to simulate the absorption, reflection, and scattering of light due to solid materials present in planetary and astrophysical environments (planets, their satellites, exoplanets, asteroids, comets, protoplanetary disks, etc.), and are key to the compositional interpretation of observations. We will first present the infrastructure of the OCdb and show how to use and contribute to it. We will introduce the two large NASA projects, namely, the Laboratory Astrophysics Directed Work Package and the NASA Center for Optical Constants, that have been instrumental in (i) developing the OCdb, (ii) generating planetary-and astrophysics-relevant ices and organic refractory materials from gas and ice irradiation in the laboratory, and (iii) determining their optical constants for inclusion in OCdb. We will also present two studies that are making use of these optical constants to interpret observations of Titan’s atmosphere and Pluto’s surface. These studies show the importance of measuring optical constants of laboratory-generated materials, and their impact on the models used to analyze and interpret astronomical observations. These studies also demonstrate the essential importance of such a database and the need for optical constants of a broad range of materials and wavelengths to enable the scientific community and to maximize the scientific return from space missions (e.g., Cassini, New Horizons, SOFIA, JWST).

The Optical Constants database↗
NASA NTRS2002

Large Format Si:As IBC Array Performance for NGST and Future IR Space Telescope Applications

A mid-IR (5-30micrometer) instrument aboard a cryogenic space telescope can have an enormous impact in resolving key questions in astronomy and cosmology. A space platform's greatly reduced thermal backgrounds (compared to airborne or ground-based platforms), allow for more sensitive observations of dusty young galaxies at high redshifts, star formation of solar-type stars in the local universe, and formation and evolution of planetary disks and systems. The previous generation's largest, in sensitive IR detectors at these wavelengths are 256x256 pixel Si:As Impurity Band Conduction (IBC) devices built by Raytheon Infrared Operations (RIO) for the Space Infrared Telescope Facility/Infrared Array Camera (SIRTF)/(IRAC) instrument. RIO has successfully enhanced these devices, increasing the pixel count by a factor of 16 while matching or exceeding SIRTF/IRAC device performance. NASA-ARC in collaboration with RIO has tested the first high performance large format (1024x 1024) Si:As IBC arrays for low background applications, such as for the middle instrument on Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) and future IR Explorer missions. These hybrid devices consist of radiation hard SIRTF/IRAC-type Si:As IBC material mated to a readout multiplexer that has been specially processed for operation at low cryogenic temperatures (below 10K), yielding high device sensitivity over a wavelength range of 5-28 micrometers. We present laboratory testing results from these benchmark, devices. Continued development in this technology is essential for conducting large-area surveys of the local and early universe through observation and for complementing future missions such as NGST, Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF), and Focal Plane Instruments and Requirement Science Team (FIRST).

Ennico, Kimberly↗
DOE OSTI2025

Space environment considerations for perovskite solar cell operations: A review

Designing new technology for extraterrestrial applications certainly presents unique challenges. The environmental stressors perovskite-based photovoltaics must overcome will vary with the environment in which they are deployed. One must consider mission requirements when designing photovoltaic devices and packaging. Different space "theaters" can have dramatically different stressors needing consideration for designing panels for solar power generation. Here, in this article, we review the relevant space environmental conditions that must be considered when designing perovskite-based photovoltaic devices for implementation in space. We specifically consider thermal, radiation, gaseous, weather, and other phenomena most relevant to photovoltaic operation for specific theaters such as Low Earth Orbit, Geosynchronous Orbit, Lunar surface, Mars (orbit and surface), and interplanetary exploration pathways.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2000

Laboratory Studies of Optical Characteristics and Condensation Processes of Cosmic Dust Particles

Information about the optical characteristics and physical processes involving cosmic dust particles is vital for interpretation of astronomical observations and an understanding of the formation and processing of dust in the evolutionary cycle of matter in the interstellar medium. Cosmic dust particles are formed in a variety of astrophysical environments such as in cool stellar outflows and circumstellar envelopes. Definitive knowledge of the nature, composition, and physical processes of cosmic dust grains, however, can only be inferred from astronomical observations through laboratory experiments on the analogs of hypothesized dust particles and with modeling calculations. Laboratory investigations of the nature, composition, and optical characteristics of cosmic dust particles are being, carried out at many institutions with a variety of experimental techniques. Despite a wealth of available data, however, many basic issues remain unresolved. An experimental facility based on suspension of dust particles in electrodynamic balance in a pressure/temperature controlled environment in a cavity has been operational at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and is currently being employed for studies of dust particle charging mechanisms using electron beams and with UV radiation. In this paper, we discuss two general classes of experiments under planning stages that may be simultaneously carried out on this facility for cosmic dust investigations (i) Infrared optical characteristics (extinction coefficients and scattering phase functions) of the analogs of hypothesized of cosmic dust particles, such as natural and synthetic amorphous silicates with varying compositions, amorphous carbon grains, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and icy core-mantle particles etc. The initial spectral range under consideration is 1-25 micrometers, to be extended to the far infrared region in the future (ii) Condensation of volatile gases on nucleus dust particles to be investigated for planetary and astrophysical environments.

Spann, J. F., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2008

New Frontiers AO: Advanced Materials Bi-propellant Rocket (AMBR) Engine Information Summary

The Advanced Material Bi-propellant Rocket (AMBR) engine is a high performance (I(sub sp)), higher thrust, radiation cooled, storable bi-propellant space engine of the same physical envelope as the High Performance Apogee Thruster (HiPAT(TradeMark)). To provide further information about the AMBR engine, this document provides details on performance, development, mission implementation, key spacecraft integration considerations, project participants and approach, contact information, system specifications, and a list of references. The In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) project team at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) leads the technology development of the AMBR engine. Their NASA partners were Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Aerojet leads the industrial partners selected competitively for the technology development via the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) process.

Liou, Larry C.↗
NASA NTRS2008

The impact of hydrogen contamination on the Total Dose Response of Linear Bipolar Microcircuits

Recent enhanced low dose rate sensitivity (ELDRS) investigations carried out by RLP Research, Crane, Arizona State University (ASU), and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have shown significant differences in the degradation of bipolar microcircuits with total dose in the presence of molecular hydrogen (H2) in packages. This has a significant impact on radiation hardness assurance and opens up opportunity to improve device performance. The objectives of this program are 1) to investigate and confirm the causal relationship between packaging recipes, hydrogen contamination, and total dose response of linear bipolar microcircuits; and 2) to develop a guideline that will take into account these effects at the radiation level for future NASA space missions. This program is geared to benefit all future NASA space missions using bipolar or BiCMOS linear devices.

McClure, Steve S.↗