Israeli satellite begins testing technology to guard against cosmic radiation

JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) — TauSat-3, an Israeli satellite designed to test new technology for protecting space systems from cosmic radiation, has safely reached the International Space Station (ISS), Tel Aviv University (TAU) said Sunday.

TauSat-3, which is about the size of a shoebox, is a testbed for the COTS-Capsule, an innovative technique for detecting and mitigating cosmic-ray-induced damage to space systems.

TAU experts designed and built the satellite, which was successfully deployed and put into operation on ISS and is now connecting with ground stations.

The COTS-Capsule, according to the researchers, will allow the usage of modern commercial electronic equipment in space by incorporating them into a protected environment.

Currently, electronic equipment going to space must be specifically modified to avoid radiation, but COTS-Capsule protection will allow commercial off-the-shelf components to be used, according to the researchers.

“It will thus enable the use of advanced electronic components, while significantly saving the time for development and costs of space products,” they said.

The satellite was launched on board a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the United States, on Dec. 21. It was subsequently transferred to the ISS via the Cargo Dragon C209 spacecraft.

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