Satellite Demonstration of a Radiation Tolerant Computer System Deployed from the International Space Station

2017-2020 - LaMeres

The research in this project aims to produce a computing technology that will dramatically reduce the cost of space systems while simultaneously improving performance and reliability.  The harsh space environment has historically mandated custom space-grade parts that can withstand the extreme radiation of space.  These space-grade parts are extremely expensive due to the low-volume nature of their manufacturing process.  Montana State University (MSU) is investigating how to use commercial electronics to satisfy the requirements of aerospace missions.  MSU has devised a computer architecture called “RadPC” that dynamically recovers from radiation-induced failures that can be implemented on commercial parts.  The use of commercial parts allows the cost of space systems to be reduced by exploiting the high-volume manufacturing nature of these devices.  The MSU computing technology has applications in all future space science and exploration missions in addition to commercial applications such as communication networks and Earth imaging.