Microelectromechanical Systems ( MEMS ) Technology Integration Into Microspacecraft

The need to significantly reduce the mass, power, and volume of future scientific spacecraft has resulted in an incrcascd interest on the part of NASA in the relatively new technology of rnicroelectrornechanical systems (IW31S). In addition to being light, compact and low-power-consuming, MEMS technology offers other advantages to space applications. Chief among these are robust performance with solid-state reliability. In addition, the ability to array many identical MEMS devices allows for very large scale integration (VLSI), fault toleran~ and distributed architectures. These micromachlncd, chip-level systems have been in the research stage for over a decade and are currently being developed commercially as such terrestrial applications as au~omotive and biomedical sensors. Although MEMS technology is promising for spaw applications, it is relatively immature at this stage. Much work still needs to be done to take MEMS devices from the laboratory to the space enviromnent. While space applications can leverage from the progress achicvcd by other industries, additional kxhnical work is required to make these devices flight ready. This work includes consideration of such issues as space performance, survivability, and operation as well as space architectures and flight qualification methodologies. This paper identities the issues that, when resolved, would enable the incorporation of MF,MS into space systems. It also dcscribcs various Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JP1.) and JPL-funded activities addressing these issues.