An assessment of the radiation tolerance of large satellite memories in low Earth orbits

A procedure is described that assures the reliable operation in space radiation environments of memory systems that are approximately ten times larger and can be built at about one tenth of the cost of recent, comparable satellite projects. The procedure accounts for combined radiation effects, permitting the radiation tolerance of the memory system to be accurately estimated. Using the procedure a 1-gigabit memory with error detection and correction capability has been designed for a miniature satellite applications. The memory system is constructed entirely out of commercial grade microelectronics