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NASA Tests Infineon Power MOSFETs for Europa Clipper Mission

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July 14, 2024

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The US space agency NASA is currently conducting rigorous testing on the radiation performance of power MOSFETs from Infineon Technologies in preparation for the upcoming Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter. These power MOSFETs, acquired through Infineon's purchase of International Rectifier, play a crucial role in the spacecraft's electrical power systems for the mission.

Engineers at NASA are focusing their testing efforts at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, as well as at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland. The primary concern arose when it was discovered that some of the MOSFETs might not be able to withstand the extreme levels of radiation present in the Jupiter system, known for having the most intense radiation environment in our solar system.

The issue with the MOSFETs was brought to light in May, prompting Infineon to issue an alert in June 2024. The company is collaborating closely with the mission team to address the problem and support ongoing radiation testing and analysis efforts. Initial testing data suggests that certain transistors may fail in the high-radiation environment near Jupiter and its moon Europa due to lower radiation resistance than anticipated.

To mitigate the radiation risks, the spacecraft's electronics are shielded within a vault constructed with 1/3-inch thick sheets of aluminium-zinc alloy. This protective vault is securely attached to the propulsion module housing the 24 engines. The MOSFETs used are US DLA QPL products up to MIL-PRF-19500 JANS level, with hermetic packaging screened to the European ESCC-5000 specification.

NASA's team is actively working to assess the susceptibility of the MOSFETs and their expected performance during the mission. The agency is exploring strategies to enhance the longevity of the transistors in the challenging radiation environment near Jupiter. A preliminary analysis is anticipated to be completed by late July, ahead of the scheduled launch window in October.

The Jupiter system poses unique challenges to spacecraft due to its powerful magnetic field, which is approximately 20,000 times stronger than Earth's magnetic field. This magnetic field traps charged particles and accelerates them to high energies, posing a significant threat to electronic components onboard the Europa Clipper.

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