Developing Robust Electronics That Can Withstand Harsh Conditions on Cold Planetary Bodies

A NASA-sponsored team has developed electronics that can operate reliably in the harsh radiation and temperature conditions found on distant planetary bodies like Europa, an ocean world orbiting Jupiter. Not only could this new technology enable autonomous sensors and robotic exploration of distant ocean worlds, it could also support NASA's goal to establish human outposts on the Moon and Mars by enabling electronic systems to function in those cold regions with reduced heating requirements.

Numerous bodies in our solar system are believed to contain water in the form of ice, vapor, or liquid on or below the surface. These ocean worlds include planetary moons like Jupiter's Europa and Ganymede, and Satern's Enceladus and Titan; the dwarf planet Pluto; and even comets and Uranus. The liquid water beneath ice crusts on ocean worlds can offer insights about the origins of our solar system and provide clues that could enable us to discover life elsewhere in the universe.

Unfortunately, exploring these locations is challenging. Ocean world environments are very harsh, with high radiation levels (5 Mrad of ionizing radiation, which is 50 times more than is lethal to humans) and extremely low temperatures (-180°C). Missions to explore these destinations require electronics for sensing, control, and communications that can function under such unforgiving conditions.