Atom-thick layers of molybdenum disulfide are ideally suited for radiation-resistant spacecraft electronics, researchers in China have confirmed. In a study published in Nature, Peng Zhou and colleagues at Fudan University put a communications system composed of the material through a gauntlet of rigorous tests—including the transmission of their university’s Anthem—confirming that its performance is barely affected in the harsh environment of outer space.
Space radiation and electronics
Beyond the protection of Earth’s magnetic field, the electronic components of modern spacecraft are extremely vulnerable to constant streams of cosmic rays and heavy ions. While onboard systems can be shielded with radiation-protective materials, this approach takes up valuable space and adds weight to spacecraft.
That extra mass drives up launch costs and can limit the payload available for scientific instruments or communications hardware. A far better solution would be to fabricate the electronics themselves from materials that are intrinsically resistant to radiation damage.
Stringent durability tests
One particularly promising route forward involves highly conductive, ultra-thin materials such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS?). Just a single layer of atoms thick—around 0.7 nanometers—the material has already proven remarkably robust against radiation-induced defects in previous laboratory studies.
In their latest work, Zhou’s team subjected the material to its most rigorous test yet. They began by growing monolayer MoS? using it to fabricate a transistor-based, radio-frequency communications system. The circuits were then exposed to powerful bursts of gamma rays, delivering doses comparable to those experienced by electronics operating in space.
To assess the effects of this irradiation, the researchers used a suite of cutting-edge imaging and spectroscopy techniques to compare the condition of the MoS? before and after exposure.
Transmission electron microscopy provided high-resolution images of the material’s cross-section, while energy-dispersive spectroscopy mapping allowed the team to probe any changes in its chemical composition.
After irradiation, Raman spectroscopy measurements at multiple sites across the film were used to examine its structural integrity in detail. Taken together, this exhaustive analysis revealed no clear signs of structural or chemical damage in the atom-thin film.
The team then turned to the circuit’s electrical performance. Encouragingly, it remained virtually unchanged after irradiation, with ultra-high on–off ratios and very little current leaking when a voltage was applied. The MoS? devices also maintained low power consumption, an important advantage for energy-limited spacecraft.
Testing in space
Having demonstrated the system’s resilience in the lab, the researchers went a step further: they launched their MoS?-based circuit into low-Earth orbit. Operating at an altitude of around 500 kilometers, comparable to that of many communications satellites, the device continued to perform reliably for 9 months, with data transmission showing an extremely low error rate.
By the end of the experiment, the system was able to receive and transmit data containing the full Anthem of Fudan University with perfect clarity.
Based on these results, the team estimates that electronics built from atomically thin MoS? could survive for some 271 years in geosynchronous orbit—far outlasting conventional silicon-based technologies. If borne out in future missions, such intrinsic radiation tolerance could pave the way for lighter, longer-lasting spacecraft electronics for deep-space exploration and high-orbit communications.
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Publication details
Liyuan Zhu et al, Radiation-tolerant atomic-layer-scale RF system for spaceborne communication, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-10027-9
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