Boeing Radiation Effects Laboratory

The Boeing Radiation Effects Laboratory is the largest private radiation test lab in aerospace, leading the industry in radiation simulation, testing, and qualification of materials and electronics.

In addition to state-of-the-art equipment, BREL has a team of world-class physicists, engineers, and technicians with decades of experience and knowledge in radiation effects environments. And by having comprehensive access to some of the world’s best irradiators, accelerators, and other test capabilities in a single location, the laboratory is able to conduct cutting-edge simulations of both natural and man-made radiation environments at a competitive cost.

Since 1963, the team has been helping Boeing and its partners fly higher by providing the following services at competitive pricing:

• Radiation-effects testing of electronics and materials
  • Total dose, dose rate, displacement damage, single-event effects
• Radiation modeling
• Combined radiation-effects testing
• Space simulation
  • Solar, Van Allen, cosmic rays, UV
• Man-made effects simulation
• Flight altitude
• Program hardness assurance
• Survivability and vulnerability analysis

Our team of experts partners with clients around the world to overcome radiation-related challenges. In addition to testing radiation effects in our laboratory, the team offers valuable modeling services to analyze the results and develop strategic solutions. From defining environments and ensuring proper radiation simulations to establishing optimal effects measurements and suggesting new designs, BREL is the world’s premier source for comprehensive testing and evaluation.

Modeling and analysis

• Digital microcircuit SEE analysis/rate
• Space radiation environment modeling
• Survivability/vulnerability analysis
• Radiation transport
  • MCNPX transport modeling
  • Cosmic ray transport
  • Graded-Z shield design
  • High H, doped shields

Radiation effects on devices and materials

• Total dose ELDRS
• Degradation of solar cells
• Darkening of optical coatings
• Breakdown of polymeric materials
• Darkening of thermal control coatings
• Synergistic effects of combined radiation
• Spacecraft ESD simulation and effect

Our state-of-the-art electronics test laboratory is located in the same building as our radiation facilities, enabling quick and efficient analysis at less time and cost. The lab is equipped with automated testers for analog, digital, and mixed-signal integrated circuits, as well as Boeing's General Purpose Test Equipment pool, which includes an inventory of data acquisition and measurement equipment across the company with the latest bandwidth and sophistication technology.

Our lab meets all traceability requirements of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, as well as being ISO 9001 certified.

At the heart of BREL are Boeing’s combined radiation-effects test capabilities.

Our comprehensive set of UV, vacuum UV, proton, and electron sources spans a large energy spectrum capable of testing for material surface damage effects that can impact design. Our lab is equipped with multiple chambers and, because each has a different and unique purpose, we can offer combined effects testing all in one location, testing articles measuring up to 18 inches diagonally. Further test capabilities include reflectance spectroscopy, electrostatic discharge, and in situ electron-proton beam spectrum measurements.

Over the past several decades, the BREL team has built a strong partnership with the Neutron and Nuclear Science (WNR) facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. In addition to our many other partners in the industry, Los Alamos expands our capabilities by using their MCNPX radiation transport code to enable shielding design and analysis.

This capability allows us to test secondary radiation generation within shielding material, including neutrons resulting from high-energy cosmic rays, electrons, and protons. In addition to MCNPX testing, the BREL team is also using this ability to develop lightweight shielding design tools for customers around the world.

Since its creation, BREL has led the industry in radiation testing and evaluation. And over the past several decades, Boeing has continued to invest resources into the laboratory to ensure that our equipment and our people remain ready at the cutting edge of aerospace.

This ongoing evolution has allowed the BREL team to expand its abilities, and its place at the forefront of the industry, with millions of dollars’ worth of investments. These upgrades include new optical spectroscopy capabilities, beam characterization and dosimetry, test chamber enhancements, and automated testers for analog, digital, and mixed-signal integrated circuits.

BREL has also been improved with multichannel, high-bandwidth portable controllers for data acquisition to further enable single event effects testing, as well as accelerator upgrades and new control and safety systems. Our most recent additions include replacing the outdated safety interlock system with a modern solid state fail-safe system. A new NIST traceable and State-of-the-Art high dose rate gamma source to meet MIL standard 883 specifications.

BREL is also undergoing major capital improvements to our Linear Accelerator (LINAC) and Flash X-Ray 75. These improvements will allow BREL to increase capability, improve reliability and offer better service to our customers.

The BREL team provides critical testing capabilities to dozens of Boeing’s key civilian, proprietary, and classified military programs, as well as partnering with external customers around the globe.

From outer space to the front lines, the following are just some of BREL’s key programs:

Space

• NASA’s Materials International Space Station Experiments (MISSE) 1 through 7
• Global Positioning Satellite
• International Space Station
• Inertial Upper Stage
• Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T)

Defense

• Short-Range Attack Missile (SRAM II)
• Air-Launched Cruise Missile
• Minuteman and Peacekeeper missile systems

Aircraft

• Rockwell B-1B Lancer
• Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit
• Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
• Boeing E-4 Advanced Airborne Command Post
• Boeing 787 Dreamliner
• Boeing 777X