Microelectronics or Plentary spacecraft

Microelectronics used in planetary spacecraft have unique requirements and attributes unlike those of other applications. The need to operate in space unattended for twelve years places extreme reliability requirements on the electronics. The radiation dose from cosmic rays and energetic particles during a planetary encounter is severe. The twelve-year Voyager mission to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune sets the background for this planetary spacecraft discussion. The evolution of microprocessors, detectors, and memory from the Voyager era to the current Magellan and Galileo spacecraft, and then on the future Mars Observer and CRAF/Cassini projects are presented. The presentation includes the Magellan spacecraft overview of the electronics used to produce radar images of Venus, and a discussion of some of the problems encountered. The current status of Galileo on its voyage to Jupiter and the Mars Observer planned for launch in 1992 is discussed.