Single event upset testing of commercial off-the-shelf electronics for launch vehicle applications

This paper presents the results and methodology of recent system-level proton testing which was performed on a COTS-based GPS receiver to be used in a launch vehicle application. Susceptibility to ionizing radiation was a concern due to a high part count and component sophistication. Testing was conducted using 50 MeV protons at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). An approach for the testing of complex COTS components using protons of various energies is discussed in the literature, but was determined to be only partially applicable due to the design of the receiver. Therefore, a functional receiver was constructed which incorporated production components in a manner that allowed separation of the individual circuit cards and irradiation of different locations while the unit was operating as it would during flight. This approach allowed for an understanding of how upsets in isolated locations could affect the system-level response of the entire receiver. An analysis of the results allowed for a determination of a lower bound on the upset rate for a sample launch vehicle trajectory. Shortcomings and limitations to the approach described here are also discussed.