Construction has begun in Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk region, at a "Rosatom" enterprise (Russian Federal Nuclear Center - All-Russian Research Institute of Technical Physics, RFNC-VNIITF) on a center for testing electronics, including those for satellites.
The concrete foundation has already been poured, and the construction of the building has begun. The center will be equipped with advanced equipment to ensure certification testing of electronic components for resistance to various types of ionizing radiation and electromagnetic pulses.
In 50% of cases, the reduction in the service life of spacecraft is associated with the effects of ionizing radiation from space. Trends in the development of modern microelectronics, related to the minimization of topological dimensions and supply voltage and the use of new materials, often lead to an increase in the sensitivity of products to ionizing radiation and the emergence of new radiation effects.
The key element of the electronics radiation testing center will be a cyclotron capable of accelerating ions to an energy of 15 MeV/nucleon. The building will also house neutron generators, electron accelerators, and a proton accelerator. The center is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026.
After the construction of the RFNC–VNIITF Testing Center, it will become a unique organization, not only in the country but also in the world, possessing the full range of competencies in the field of radiation testing.
