LINTHICUM, Md. – Jan. 13, 2026 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has demonstrated a secure testing environment for microelectronics used in radiation-prone areas, such as space and nuclear facilities, under DARPA’s Advanced Sources for Single-event Effects Radiation Testing (ASSERT) program. This innovation can drastically reduce wait times faced at national testing facilities from years to months.
Microelectronics used in space and nuclear environments must be radiation-hardened to withstand extreme radiation levels and prevent performance malfunctions or damage. These systems must be rigorously tested to ensure they can function before entering the field. Since there are only four heavy-ion radiation testing facilities in the United States, testing can take years.
Northrop Grumman’s new technology drastically aims to reduce testing time, enabling processes that:
- Produce a tenfold reduction in the time it takes to design, test and deploy microelectronics used in space and nuclear facilities.
- Test space-bound and nuclear microelectronics in a more compact and portable laboratory environment, which currently does not exist.
- Simulate the same randomized radiation conditions that microelectronics experience in extreme environments, ensuring resiliency and operability when it matters most.
The BELLA Center at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory focuses on developing and applying laser-plasma accelerators (LPAs), a compact technology for various applications such as SEE testing. (Photo Credit: Thor Swift/Berkeley Lab)
Expert:
Jonathan Green, vice president and chief technology officer, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, “Northrop
Grumman’s decades of engineering excellence applied to DARPA’s ASSERT program
resulted in this industry-changing solution. Improving these testing
capabilities will significantly reduce the lead time on these critical
microelectronics, ensuring our customers are receiving the systems they need
faster than ever.”
Details on Program:
DARPA’s ASSERT program aims to revolutionize radiation-hardened microelectronics by developing compact, laboratory-scale alternatives to heavy-ion test facilities.
Northrop Grumman is partnering with Vanderbilt University and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to utilize laser plasma accelerator (LPA) technology, which is a compact, high-energy electron beam source for testing. This allows tests on packaged or stacked devices, like 3D-heterogeneous microelectronics, which current laser testing and other surrogate sources cannot currently perform. Built on decades of engineering and mission expertise for deep space observatories and national security missions where capturing the sharpest imagery is crucial to protect the homeland, subject matter experts from Northrop Grumman’s Adaptive Optics Associates-Xinetics (AOX) programs supported the development of the LPA prototype by rigorously testing it to ensure the technology is ready for, and capable of, withstanding the harshest environments.
A team of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists at the BELLA Center work on the seed laser which feeds into the high-power laser amplifier and is then used to accelerate electrons to high energy for SEE testing. (Photo Credit: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
Northrop Grumman designs, manufactures, assembles, tests and packages millions of microelectronics annually to support next-generation defense and commercial systems in the United States, ensuring the American supply chain is protected and sustainable to strengthen national defense infrastructure. From design, fabrication, to field, the company’s mission-tailored microelectronics serve as the crucial intelligence powering next-generation military and commercial systems and are foundational to mission success.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.