The susceptibility of communication satellites to the nuclear electromagnetic pulse

The high altitude burst (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 bandwidth 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 ARABSAT spacecraft has been calculated as a simple example. Some recommendations have been suggested at the end of this paper. 16 refs