More importantly, they were not amenable to large-scale manufacturing, as we know today. Vacuum devices of the early electronics era were immune to space radiation but they were bulky and energy-hungry. Simulated trajectory of field-emitted electrons within the NVCT electrons are emitted from the source pad at the bottom and collected at the top with the surround gate controlling the flow. companies supplying radiation-hardened electronics due to the low-volume nature of the business. Another serious emerging problem is the dwindling number of U.S. A radiation-aware design is expensive and limits the available hardware options because not all the required parts can be found in space-grade pool of available equipment. The metal radiation shield adds significant weight, impacting the launch cost. Furthermore, it is intrinsically impossible to avoid unexpected radiation exposure. Limiting the exploration path leads to delays and constrains the exploration area. However, all of these tactics introduce mission constraints. NASA implements various strategies to avoid radiation impacts to missions including: (1) limiting the flight and exploration path to minimize radiation exposure, (2) use of radiation shielding based on a metal chassis, and (3) incorporating chip designs with radiation awareness. NASA is exploring use of an “old school” technology-vacuum electronics-combined with modern techniques to protect the Agency’s important space assets without restricting mission parameters. Unfortunately, the current strategies employed to limit radiation exposure all introduce various mission constraints. From left to right: Dong-il Moon, Meyya Meyyappan, and Jin-Woo Han.Īll space missions face a high risk of radiation-induced damage to electronics. The nanoscale vacuum channel transistor (NVCT) team in the lab at NASA Ames.
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