Auburn Installs Superconducting Proton Accelerator for Nation’s Only University-Led Space Electronics Testing Facility of Its Kind

Installation of the facility’s synchrocyclotron moves Auburn one step closer to expanding the nation’s radiation testing capacity for space electronics.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Auburn University’s Applied Research Institute (AUARI) announced the installation of its new superconducting 200 MeV proton accelerator, an important step in opening the nation’s first university-led proton testing facility dedicated to qualifying space electronics.

The RAD-FX-200 superconducting synchrocyclotron, manufactured and installed by Mevion Medical Systems, is the centerpiece of AUARI’s new Radiation Hardening Facility, created to address the shortage of space-qualifying testing facilities needed by the Department of War and the aerospace and defense industry. The facility will enable government and industry partners to evaluate whether microelectronics can withstand the harsh radiation environment of space before they are deployed on critical missions.

“To provide for a highly reliable defense of our nation and our armed forces, we need to test every microelectronic component for its performance in space,” said Maj. Gen. Jason Cothern, Deputy Director of the Missile Defense Agency. “Going forward, we will have priority access to Auburn’s proton cyclotron facility to ensure timely radiation testing of the microelectronics our cutting-edge systems depend on.”

Satellites, missile defense interceptors, spacecraft, and launch vehicles all depend on microelectronics that must keep operating in that environment, and a single radiation-induced fault can disable a system that cannot be repaired once in orbit. The Mevion RAD-FX-200 accelerates protons to 200 MeV, which effectively simulates the proton radiation environment of near-Earth orbit and of solar particle events so that engineers can measure how advanced microelectronics respond before flight.

“The new Radiation Hardening Facility meets two crucial needs in national security: closing the gap on lack of space-qualifying testing facilities and training the next generation of engineers and scientists to be ready to work in the industry on day one,” said Steve Taylor, senior vice president of research and economic development at Auburn University. “Auburn takes its mission to serve the people of Alabama very seriously and is proud to answer the call to strengthen national security and be a valuable partner for our Huntsville defense ecosystem.”

“This installation represents a new frontier for proton technology,” said Curt Kienast, Chief Operating Officer of Mevion Medical Systems. “Since 2013, our superconducting synchrocyclotrons, designed and built in Littleton, Massachusetts, have treated cancer patients by precisely targeting tumors while sparing healthy tissue. Applying that same proven, compact technology to qualify space electronics is a powerful example of how American medical innovation can serve an entirely new mission. We are proud to help Auburn pioneer this application.”

The Radiation Hardening Facility is housed within AUARI’s new 50,000-square-foot laboratory in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park, just minutes from Redstone Arsenal and many of the nation’s leading defense and space organizations, including the Missile Defense Agency, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and U.S. Space Command.

The facility’s primary mission is to support the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), with additional availability for other U.S. Government agencies, services, and commercial partners. MDA awarded Auburn a prime contract in November 2024 to establish the facility.

The facility will open for testing in January 2027 and is expected to reach full operating capacity in 2029.

About Auburn University

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact. Learn more at auburn.edu.

About Mevion Medical Systems:

Mevion Medical Systems is a leading provider of compact proton therapy systems for cancer care. Dedicated to advancing the design and accessibility of proton therapy worldwide, Mevion pioneered the single-room platform and continues to further the science and application of proton therapy. Since 2013, Mevion compact proton therapy single-room systems have been used by leading cancer centers for treating patients. Mevion’s series of products, including the flagship MEVION S250i^® and MEVION S250-FIT™ with HYPERSCAN^® pencil beam scanning, represent the world’s most compact proton therapy systems that eliminate the obstacles of size, complexity, and cost. While best known for advancing proton therapy, Mevion’s superconducting accelerator technology is now being applied beyond the clinic, including for radiation effects testing for aerospace and defense. Mevion is headquartered in Littleton, Massachusetts with a presence in Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.mevion.com.