PCB Connectors That Survive Space, Shock & 500 Thermal Cycles
Shane Dabrowski, a Field Applications Engineer at Samtec, explains how the company’s Severe Environment Testing (SET) and MIL-DTL-55302 lot-based testing validate standard connectors for military, aerospace, and LEO satellite applications. He details why solder joint fractures, rather than pin failure, are the primary issue during extreme thermal cycling from -65°C to 125°C, and discusses tin whisker mitigation through custom plating. The conversation covers the shift toward high-speed combo signal-and-power connectors, the use of C-Ray mezzanine connectors in VPX systems, and the industry's move toward column solder joints to replace BGA balls for better signal integrity at 224G speeds.
