NASA Space Shuttle Launches iPhone to Test Radiation Effects

[Sakha]

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/06/iphone-space-shuttle/" . Anyways, it says that it will look for radiation effects with "single bit upsets", is memory really that sensible to radiation?

 

[pallidin]

Depending on the material, yes!

http://www.eeherald.com/section/news/nws2011052512.html

http://www.ornl.gov/info/press_releases/get_press_release.cfm?ReleaseNumber=chip

http://academic.research.microsoft.com/Publication/19605323/radiation-induced-errors-in-memory-chips

http://www.simmtester.com/page/news/showpubnews.asp?where=5795186&num=135

 

[D H]

Absolutely, and the problem is in general getting worse as die sizes decrease. All but the very cheapest of satellites are now designed to have multiple avionics systems running in parallel. They vote on the incoming sensor data, vote on the outgoing commands, sometimes even on memory content. A computer that repeatedly steps out of line is voted off the island. This redundancy is danged expensive. It's there for a reason.

A somewhat recent example of an SEU causing a real problem: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-151. The Voyager spacecraft are particularly sensitive to SEUs because they are now running in single string mode (only one active set of avionics) to conserve power.

 

[Bitblit]

Old memory like ferite core are not, but those are massive (huge boards with a few hundred bytes) and slow. Modern memory is small and fast because it's solid state. Solid state devices are susceptible to radiation.

Thanks for the comments and questions. I wrote SpaceLab for iOS.

 

[pmacias]

I find this news about NASA launching an iPhone to test radiation effects very interesting. The use of consumer technology in space exploration is a unique approach and could potentially provide valuable data on the effects of radiation on electronic devices.

Regarding the specific testing for "single bit upsets," it is well known that electronic devices can be affected by radiation. Single bit upsets occur when a single bit of data is changed due to radiation, which can cause errors in the function of the device. While it may seem surprising that a small device like an iPhone can be affected by radiation, memory chips are indeed sensitive to radiation and can experience single bit upsets.

In fact, NASA has been studying the effects of radiation on electronic devices for decades, as it is a crucial factor in the design and operation of spacecraft and other space technologies. By testing the iPhone in a real-life space environment, NASA can gather valuable data on the performance and resilience of consumer technology in extreme conditions.

Overall, this mission highlights the importance of understanding the effects of radiation on electronic devices and how it can impact space exploration. It also showcases the potential for collaboration between the consumer technology industry and space agencies in advancing our understanding of the universe. I look forward to seeing the results of this experiment and how it can inform future space missions.