NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, a $5 billion endeavor to explore the potential habitability of Jupiter’s moon Europa, is grappling with a significant technical issue just months before its scheduled launch.
Radiation Vulnerability DiscoveredIn May, the mission team identified a critical issue with the spacecraft’s metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).
Given that the Jupiter system is notorious for its intense radiation, this vulnerability poses a severe risk to the mission.
Read More: NASA’s Juno mission unveils fiery lava lakes on Jupiter’s Moon IoThe challenge with these transistors is particularly daunting because they cannot simply be replaced.
Therefore, the mission team must find ways to mitigate the issue without a complete overhaul of the system.
NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, a $5 billion endeavor to explore the potential habitability of Jupiter’s moon Europa, is grappling with a significant technical issue just months before its scheduled launch. The spacecraft is set to embark on its journey this October atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, aiming to assess whether Europa’s ice-covered ocean can support life. However, a problem with its transistors has put both the launch date and the mission’s success in jeopardy.
Radiation Vulnerability Discovered
In May, the mission team identified a critical issue with the spacecraft’s metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). These devices, essential for controlling the flow of electricity, were found to be less radiation-resistant than expected. Given that the Jupiter system is notorious for its intense radiation, this vulnerability poses a severe risk to the mission. Jupiter’s magnetic field, 20,000 times stronger than Earth’s, creates a harsh environment filled with high-energy charged particles that bombard Europa and its neighboring moons.
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Testing and Troubleshooting
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), along with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, is conducting extensive tests to understand the extent of the problem. Preliminary data suggests that some transistors might fail in the high-radiation environment near Jupiter, potentially compromising the spacecraft’s functionality during its 3.5-year mission. The transistors, manufactured by Infineon Technologies, were discovered to fail at lower radiation doses than previously anticipated. This issue came to light when colleagues informed JPL staff about similar failures in a classified satellite.
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The challenge with these transistors is particularly daunting because they cannot simply be replaced. The spacecraft’s electronics vault, designed to provide some radiation resistance, was sealed in October 2023. Therefore, the mission team must find ways to mitigate the issue without a complete overhaul of the system. Possible solutions include turning off certain switches during parts of the mission or using a process called annealing to heal the vulnerable transistors by raising their temperatures.
