Failure Analysis on Space Electronics: Best Practices, Challenges and Trends

Failure Analysis (FA) concerns all the industrial domains. Nevertheless, it is important to underline similarities and differences that are encountered in space related activities. Even if the process is the same, there are many differences related to space domain. They are due to the very high quality and reliability of satellites their cost, their mission duration and no reparability of satellites in orbit. Failure Analysis pays a key role in quality assessment to balance the lack of statistical approaches for the very low volume spacecraft market. Usually, we have only one failed part to analyze, sometime none (satellite in orbit issue) while the expertise output, including corrective actions, is mandatory to avoid repetition of similar issues. FA for space covers the full range of parts, including Mechanical, material and Electrical, Electronic and Electromechanical (EEE) parts. The failed EEE components from connectors to commercial VLSI, are analyzed in our CNES facilities. We will illustrate the wide range of targets, from components to system, through some case studies, including VLSI. Increasing number of commercial VLSI is a big trend and challenge, forcing us to develop new “CAD less” techniques to deal with the lack of netlist and layout for these critical complex devices.