Evaluating COTS components for the LIZARD payload on micropatterned dry adhesives

Abstract

Abstract The Long-term Investigation of Zero-gravity, vAcuum, and RaDiation effects on geckomaterials (LIZARD) payload investigates the effects of the space environment on the adhesive properties of microstructured dry adhesives (MDA). MDA are elastomers with microstructured surfaces offering a promising solution for space applications. The LIZARD payload marks the first testing of MDA in real space conditions. A key focus during development was the pragmatic use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components without compromising reliability. This paper details the challenging environment in low Earth orbit (LEO), COTS component selection and verification processes for the payloads deployment aboard the 12U AIOTY-CUBE satellite. A SPENVIS simulation determined that the majority of components will receive a total dose of 1.563 krad during the 1-year mission. A total ionizing dose test was conducted at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin. Critical components were subjected to $$\gamma$$ γ -radiation doses of up to 12 krad. All flight components passed the test unharmed. An ST890 MOSFET in the power supply of the designated microcontroller’s development board failed; presumably due to excessive charge build-up in its gate oxide. Thermal testing of the critical components confirmed an expected shift in the camera’s focus between temperature extremes; however, this does not affect the analysis results. AIOTY-CUBE’s lack of active stabilization necessitated an illumination test. Adversely oriented, incoming sunlight may significantly affect the built-in cameras’ image exposure. Adjusting the image exposure accordingly reliably mitigated the effect, ensuring accurate data collection and unaffected performance of image analysis tools. Redundancies for microcontrollers, non-volatile memory and file systems further enhance mission reliability. The conducted tests confirmed that the design decisions and component selections resulted in operational hardware capable of enduring the rigorous conditions encountered in LEO.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. CEAS Space Journal, 2026 · DOI ↗