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A Radiation Hardened Compact Multi-Channel DAC (RH-DAC)

Completed TRL 7 (started at 1, targeting 7)

Description

This project seeks to design, fabricate and test a prototype of a radiation hardened, compact, low-power Multi-channel Digital-to-Analog Converter (RHDAC) application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for miniaturized instrument electronics. The device will contain multiple digital-to-analog converter channels and a selectable serial interface and low-power consumption per channel.

We seek to develop a radiation hardened, compact, low-power Multi-channel Digital-to-Analog Converter (RHDAC) application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for miniaturized instrument electronics. This project will address the need for space worthy, compact multi-channel data converters to reduce the size, mass and power of instrument electronics. The ASIC features are science driven based on applications in a realistic space environment such as detector threshold setting, current bias circuits and voltage stepping in high-voltage power supplies. It directly addresses the goal of reducing power, mass and volume for highly resource-constrained instruments. The main objective is to design, fabricate and test a radiation hardened multi-channel digital-to-analog converter ASIC that will enable and advance miniaturized instrument electronics.

Benefits

Compact Radiation Belt Explorer (CeREs) CubeSat

Extended Range Laser Altimeter (ERLA) for Instrument Concepts for Europa Exploration (ICEE)

EXO CubeSat

Neutro Gamma-ray Spectrometer (NGS) instrument

Details

Technology areaFlight Computing and Avionics > Avionics Component Technologies > Radiation-Hardened ASIC Technologies
ProgramCenter Independent Research & Development: GSFC IRAD (GSFC IRAD)
Lead organizationGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Start date2012-10-01
End date2014-09-30

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

How to get involved

This is a mature technology (TRL 7) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.