Examining the reliability of selected materials for the Indonesian small satellite by electron beam machine

Abstract

The interaction of charged particles and satellites can result in partial or total loss, leading to the satellite’s inoperable. Charging on the satellite is the dominant cause of malfunctions and failures of satellite components. Damage mitigation can be done through a series of experiments in which materials and satellite components are bombarded with high- energy electrons. In this study, electrons are generated and accelerated using an electron beam machine (EBM). The test material and electronic components are placed beneath the EBM’s beam window, where a 300 keV electron beam bombards them uniformly. The experimental results show that the electron beam can penetrate all the test materials used as shields within 20 s, and the absorbance levels range between 67% and 98%. The penetration depths span between 0.16 and 0.46 mm and agree with the Kanaya-Okayama calculation. The values of stopping power for most materials show the ineffectiveness of materials for shielding. However, increasing the thickness, such as in the MLI case, can reduce the level of electron radiation absorption. This experiment provides recommendations on the selection of materials used for equatorial satellite shielding, particularly the next Indonesian LEO equatorial satellite, both in terms of material and size.