Center for Space Radiation

Principal Capabilities

• Environment modeling: JPL’s Natural Space Environments Group defines the environmental requirements (Natural Space Environments, or NSE) of JPL flight projects. It performs research and development to better understand the space environments and effects that spacecraft may be exposed to.
• Radiation Transport: JPL’s Natural Space Environments Group performs radiation shielding analysis, a design process in which the local radiation environment at components within the spacecraft (e.g., for devices, materials, sensors/detectors, etc.) is computed and defined. During this analysis, the ambient radiation environment is “transported” to specific locations within the spacecraft to estimate the radiation levels expected at those positions.
• Spacecraft Charging: Charging (both internal and surface) induced by a space radiation environment can also be important for certain missions, especially those passing through an aurora region (surface charging) or subjected to high-energy electron environments (internal charging). Surface charging in Earth’s geosynchronous orbit can reach 10-20,000 V while discharges due to internal charging have been increasingly observed for orbits in the Earth’s radiation belts. JPL’s Natural Space Environments Group performs advanced modeling and materials testing at JPL's Dynamitron facility.
• Component Radiation Analysis: JPL's Radiation Effects Group performs assessments of radiation response for prospective EEE parts. This assessment qualifies risk of the use of electronic components within a system. Subject matter experts provide radiation effects mitigation engineering services.
• Component Radiation Testing: The Radiation Effects Group performs Single Event Effects Testing, Total Ionizing Dose testing and Displacement Damage testing on microelectronic devices intended for use on JPL missions.
• Radiation Hardened Technology Development: JPL's Mission Assurance offices support in the direct and supported development of radiation hardened and tolerant technology for insertion into NASA Missions.