White Paper: How Rad Hard Do You Need? The Changing Approach To Space Parts Selection

By Michael Dowd
Marketing and Sales, Maxwell Technologies Microelectronics

Introduction
Traditional radiation hardened or "rad hard" parts are generally considered to be capable of withstanding the most severe space environments. In fact, these devices are designed and fabricated with the specific goal of enduring the harshest space radiation environments. And while they have tremendous radiation capabilities, these parts are more expensive and less advanced that today's commercially available components. As a result, the main customers for these ICs have generally been well-funded military and scientific entities.

However, a migration from traditional rad hard components is currently underway, thanks to the commercialization of space. Space is no longer the sole domain of the world's largest governments, where programs are funded by enormous and eternal budgets aimed at fighting the cold war. Consequently, space manufacturers around the world are faced with a requirement to build satellites that are faster, better and cheaper than those made in the past.

To meet this rapidly changing market, satellite companies and component manufacturers alike have begun reshaping their product offerings. More specifically, semiconductor manufacturers have begun reinterpreting industry conventions to meet the needs of their newly redefined customer base. And, while they only comprise 5-10% of the overall cost of a satellite, electronic components can nevertheless provide significant savings to a system's total price tag if they are procured at a reduced rate. As a result, the traditional, rigid definition of "rad hard" is slowly being replaced by the question, "How rad hard do you need?"

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