The Susceptibility of Communication Satellites to the Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse

Abstract

The High Altitude Brust (HAB) of a nuclear weapon can produce an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) that rises very rapidly (in nanoseconds) to a high voltage (tens of kilovolts per meter). This pulse covers 0 to 100 MHz bandwith or frequency. The radiated EMP can affect a large portion of space with a diameter of several thousands of kilometers and produce a current transient large enough to cause permanent irreversible degradation of components and systems.Communication satellites as exoatmospheric vehicles can be exposed to immediate gamma and x-radiation directly from the Nuclear weapon to cause System-Generated EMP (SGEMP) Transient Radiation Effect on Electronics (TREE) or Dispersed EMP (DEMP).The open-circuit voltage developed in the internal conductors of the ARABS AT spacecraft; has been calculated as a simple example. Some recommendations have been suggested at the end of this paper.