Radiation effects considerations for the application of photonics in space systems

As civilian and military spacecraft continue to evolve, meeting performance demands will become particularly challenging because performance levels will be constrained by severe cost and weight restrictions. To meet these challenges, new technologies, such as photonics, will be employed that can provide desired performance levels within the framework dictated by these constraints. For the insertion of a new technology into a spacecraft to be successful, the radiation hardness assurance (RHA) of the technology must be established so that the mission is not jeopardized by exposure to the space radiation environment. In this paper we discuss the RHA issues associated with the infusion of photonics into space systems, both military and civilian. These issues will be contrasted with similar problems that have been encountered in the more traditional area of RHA for Si microcircuits.