From OPEL’s website:
POET's technology platform for optoelectronic integration exploits the optoelectronic and electronic behaviors of Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) semiconductor material. One of the benefits of this material, from a space electronics perspective, is that GaAs is significantly less susceptible to x-ray and gamma-ray total integrated dose (TID) radiation. GaAs is the long-standing choice for high-frequency (e.g. RF) devices and circuits. Important to the military is ODIS's ability to integrate digital, RF, and optical technologies in a single device makes POET an important, high-performance capability that satisfies documented needs for multiple space systems and all Military Departments and Agency Tech Areas.
From the report I posted earlier today commissioned by the DoD Homeland Security:
An extreme geomagnetic storm of G5 on NOAA‘s space weather scale likely would result in extensive surface charging in a large number of satellites in GEO. Interference with or damage to satellites in GEO would affect several critical infrastructures. For instance, global communications networks would experience significant disruption. Temporary interference with satellite signals would harm communications provider revenues. Communication provider revenue loss from a geomagnetic storm with an intensity comparable to the 1859 Carrington Event has been estimated on the order of $30 billion (Odenwald, 2007). As of 1 July 2010, 255 of the 943 satellites in GEO were commercially owned communications satellites (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2010). Surface charging resulting in damage to as few as ten percent (25) of these satellites‘ internal components would pose a significant replacement challenge.
In the event of an extreme geomagnetic storm resulting in permanent internal damage to satellites, launch capacity is insufficient to satisfy replacement needs. In 2009, 78 satellite launches occurred worldwide. This represented a decrease of 40 percent from 2008, a trend explained by global macroeconomic conditions. Global launch capacity under normal circumstances would seem to be approximately 100 to 110 satellites annually. At first glance, this capacity would seem adequate to launch 25 satellites to replace damaged commercial communications satellites after an extreme geomagnetic storm. But, these 25 replacement satellites would represent additional demand above and
beyond existing estimates forecasting demand for 20 new commercial communications satellite launches annually between 2010 and 2019 (FAA, 2010).
Replacing commercial communication satellites illustrates only part of the problem following an extreme geomagnetic storm. The 255 commercial communications satellites are not the only satellites in GEO. Another 100 commercial satellites fulfilling other purposes, as well as civil and military satellites, occupy GEOs (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2010). Each of these satellite user communities also likely would need to replace damaged satellites. Additional launch capacity is not easily added, as constructing launch facilities represents a highly capital-intensive endeavor. Prioritizing replacement slots would pose a challenge, especially as only a small number of countries own and operate launch facilities capable of supporting the full range of satellite payloads. Balancing military and civil government replacement needs against commercial needs also could raise significant challenges.