De-risk assessment: Space Radiation Effects Nowcast (SREN) platform

Objective: SREN de-risking activity aimed to the development of a flexible and user-friendly software system that integrates historical and near real time data from European space born radiation monitors with an arsenal of data-analysis and effects engineering models. The goal is to provide a near real time assessment and historical analysis event platform related to damages caused to spacecraft by space weather events via a simple on-line Graphical User Interface.

Background and justification: Space environment includes severe radiation and plasma storms - driven by solar activity and its effect on the Earth’s magnetosphere – affecting satellite systems. For the real-time and the post analysis of the space environment effects on satellite components, a series of actions is required each time by satellite operators and analysts in order to access and couple the required but heterogenous resources; to identify critical particle flux enhancements using reliable measurements and couple them with state of the art radiation environment and effect tools.Achievements and status:  SREN platform was designed and implemented. SREN’s modules are classified into three groups:•The data pre-analysis module (PAM): for the data pre-processing, cleaning, flagging and flux calculations.•The environment analysis module (EAM): for the on-fly analysis of energetic particle fluxes and the analysis of critical events. •The radiation effects module (REM): for the calculation of radiation effects products.The current version integrates a series of historical and near-real-time radiation environment measurements, with data processing tools that provide radiation environment products and a radiation effect tool for the calculation of the solar cell degradation.Benefits: SREN demonstrates the benefits of integrating processed particle measurements with radiation effect tools. SREN architecture has a robust multi-user foundation which will be used to build subsequent system iterations addressing needs of past and present ESA missions. Next steps: The fully developed SREN will reach TRL 7-9 and will incorporate additional functionalities on the monitoring, detection, and characterization of extreme energetic particle events. It will provide quantitative outputs on a large number of critical radiation effects to spacecraft components. SREN can evolve to a standalone commercial product addressed to customer-defined requirements.