Enhanced Radiation Tolerance of a Remote Interface Unit Using Commercial-off-the-Shelf Components for Space Applications

The radiation hardness of satellite subsystems, particularly their susceptibility to total ionizing dose (TID), presents a significant challenge in space mission design. This study introduces an innovative approach to enhancing the radiation tolerance of a remote interface unit (RIU) by leveraging commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components in conjunction with a strategic integration of hardware and software solutions. Experimental irradiation results demonstrate that this approach successfully increased the RIU's radiation tolerance from 20 krad to over 60 krad—a significant achievement given that geostationary satellite simulations estimate a cumulative radiation dose of approximately 50 krad over a five-year mission. Furthermore, comprehensive performance evaluations confirm that the radiation-hardened RIU maintains stable and acceptable functionality under high radiation exposure. All proposed solutions were experimentally validated using Co-60 irradiation, and the results indicate that the TID-hardened RIU can serve as a viable alternative to specialized space-grade components in specific applications.This novel approach reduces satellite development costs and time-to-market and enhances design flexibility. The methodologies presented in this study hold significant potential for adoption in other satellite subsystems, such as on-board data handling (OBDH) units and telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) systems, thereby contributing to the advancement of more reliable space technologies.