Characterization of commercial step-down converter performance in the low Earth orbit radiation environment
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2019
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | eng |
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2019
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122403 |
| _version_ | 1826203395943301120 |
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| author | Aguilar, Alexa Christine. |
| author2 | Kerri Cahoy. |
| author_facet | Kerri Cahoy. Aguilar, Alexa Christine. |
| author_sort | Aguilar, Alexa Christine. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2019 |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:35:55Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/122403 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:35:55Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1224032019-10-05T03:03:49Z Characterization of commercial step-down converter performance in the low Earth orbit radiation environment Aguilar, Alexa Christine. Kerri Cahoy. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Aeronautics and Astronautics. Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2019 Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 87-95). We characterize three commercial step-down DC-DC converters for the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space radiation environment. Commercial space industry is shifting spacecraft design philosophy toward accepting more risk for shorter lead times, lower costs, and high instrument performance. This shift opens up the Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) electronics market to space applications. To quantify the risks associated with using COTS parts, components must be tested in flight-like configurations and conditions and their response to environmental stresses characterized. Few data exist in literature on the performance of DC-DC converters in the space radiation environment despite their ubiquity in designs and key role in operation for which the alternative is prohibitively expensive. This thesis introduces the space radiation environment and resulting effects. We then model the environment for two LEO constellation configurations and determine the maximum expected radiation levels over the mission lifetime. These levels are then used to inform radiation tests. The DC-DC converters are Total Ionizing Dose (TID) and Single Event Effects (SEE) tested in radiation conditions representative of the LEO space radiation environment. These devices demonstrate radiation tolerance in both tests, with a minimum TID tolerance of 60 krad(Si) and experience no destructive latch-up behavior to about 90 MeV-cm²-mg⁻¹. A first order reliability analysis shows these parts introduce little additive risk to spacecraft design. by Alexa Christine Aguilar. S.M. S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics 2019-10-04T21:32:36Z 2019-10-04T21:32:36Z 2019 2019 Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122403 1119723027 eng MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 95 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Aeronautics and Astronautics. Aguilar, Alexa Christine. Characterization of commercial step-down converter performance in the low Earth orbit radiation environment |
| title | Characterization of commercial step-down converter performance in the low Earth orbit radiation environment |
| title_full | Characterization of commercial step-down converter performance in the low Earth orbit radiation environment |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of commercial step-down converter performance in the low Earth orbit radiation environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of commercial step-down converter performance in the low Earth orbit radiation environment |
| title_short | Characterization of commercial step-down converter performance in the low Earth orbit radiation environment |
| title_sort | characterization of commercial step down converter performance in the low earth orbit radiation environment |
| topic | Aeronautics and Astronautics. |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122403 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aguilaralexachristine characterizationofcommercialstepdownconverterperformanceinthelowearthorbitradiationenvironment |