Upgrades of the RadMon V6 and its Integration on a Nanosatellite for the Analysis and the Comparative Study of the CHARM and Low Earth Orbit Environments

Abstract

Radiation fields in the CERN accelerator complex are characterized by mixed particles with broad energy ranges. A Radiation Monitoring System, called "RadMon", was developed for the distributed, on-line measurement of the complex radiation fields and their effect on the electronics installed in areas with a harsh radiation environment. The most recent version of the RadMon revealed a critical issue soon after deployment in the tunnel and the experimental areas. Multiple Cell Upsets (MCUs) arising from microlatchup events started showing up on the SRAM-based particle flux sensors equipped by the system, ultimately affecting the measurement and resulting in corrupted data and accuracy losses. A study of the generation of this effect was performed, and a solution using an on-line detection and correction algorithm embedded on an FPGA, was evaluated and implemented on the RadMon device. Furthermore, in the framework of the project CELESTA, a feasibility study was carried out to validate the adaptation of the RadMon to a 1U CubeSat payload. The research was supported by the CERN Knowledge Transfer as a collaboration between the University of Montpellier, the Centre Spatial Universitaire and CERN. Experimental tests were performed at the new CHARM facility, which allows the characterization of small components, as well as large systems, in a mixed-field representative of the Low Earth Orbit. A stand-alone payload module for 1U CubeSats was developed and equipped with sensors of ionizing dose and high energy hadron fluence. In addition a Latchup Experiment was added on the module as part of the scientific goals of the mission. Results of experimental tests led to the definition of a new procedure for the radiation qualification of small satellites at system level. Details of the characterization and the choice of components are presented together with the approach followed. The payload is the first small satellite module ever designed at CERN. It represents the first step of an increasing interest towards radiation qualification at CHARM of electronics for low orbit space missions