Air Force space system requirements for non-volatile memory-a lab perspective

Summary form only given. The Air Force Research Laboratory is one of a select number of US Department of Defense technology development organizations investing in electronics for space and missile systems. Of the several areas of recent research and development, nonvolatile memory investment has been characterized as sporadic and unfocused. In this paper, we describe a number of the causes for this, including the variety of missions that must be supported, the range of on-board functions, and the rapidly-evolving DoD space requirements for nonvolatile memory in each. We conclude with recommendations for both the user and supplier community that may help the DoD better focus R&D in the future.