Role in Scientific Discovery
Miniaturized systems open new possibilities for exploration by decreasing costs, coordinating measurements of interconnected systems, and facilitating technology infusion.
Benefit to JPL Mission
Miniaturized systems reduce mission costs and accelerate development schedules. By enabling new platform strategies, miniaturized systems also increase the flexibility and adaptability of JPL missions.
Challenges
Integrating and qualifying subsystems is a challenge, especially with the incorporation of COTS technologies. All components and subsystems must withstand the radiation levels, extreme temperatures, and other environmental challenges of space environments.
Solutions
- Nano and Micro Devices: space-compatible microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), applied nanotechnology, and integrated photonics
- Subsystem Miniaturization: space COTS capabilities, microelectronic packaging technology.
- System Miniaturization: thermal, communication, and navigation architectures; multifunctional integration
Read more about this topic in JPL's 2019 Strategic Technologies document.