Plug-and-Play in Orbit: A Practical Radiation Hardness Assurance Framework for New Space Servicing Missions

In the context of the rapidly evolving New Space economy, this thesis was developed in collaboration with Kurs Orbital, a startup whose mission is to develop a modular, plug-and-play payload for servicing satellites through proximity operations and autonomous capture. The payload, known as ARCap, integrates robotic manipulators and a suite of relative navigation sensors, including vision-based and radar technologies, relying heavily on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and automotive-grade components. This approach promises faster development cycles and cost-efficiency, drastically reduces cost and development time, but introduces critical vulnerabilities with respect to radiation. The goal of this work is to define and consolidate a structured, end-to-end framework for Radiation Hardness Assurance (RHA) specifically tailored to COTS-based architectures. From first principles of particle-matter interaction to the modeling of complex space radiation environments, and from the analysis of degradation mechanisms (TID, SEE, DDD) to the selection of test methods and qualification thresholds, the thesis constructs a unified body of knowledge aimed at guiding future component choices and system-level risk assessments within the company. Inspired by the "Careful COTS" methodology, the thesis proposes a pragmatic RHA flow that integrates radiation environment modeling, component selection, radiation testing, and system-level mitigation strategies. This thesis combines those insights with ECSS-compliant RHA processes, including environment definition (ECSS-E-ST-10-04), dose and LET spectrum modeling (via SHIELDOSE and CREME), and radiation test planning (e.g., Co-60, X-rays screening). Ultimately, this thesis demonstrates that with a disciplined, evidence-driven approach, COTS technologies can be effectively harnessed to deliver high-performance, radiation-tolerant space systems. ARCAP becomes a case study for how the agility and innovation of the terrestrial tech sector, particularly automotive and industrial electronics, can be safely and systematically transferred into the domain of orbital robotics, unlocking new paradigms for satellite servicing, debris removal, and on-orbit autonomy. The outcome is not limited to the analysis of a single mission case, but provides the foundation for a generalized RHA reference architecture, an internal standard, flexible and scalable, to be used across current and future Kurs missions.