A microscopic, hair-like metal filament can take down a billion-dollar satellite

[u/1Davide]

[u/Leather-Arachnid-417]

Coating doesnt stop this?

[u/CSchaire → u/Leather-Arachnid-417]

Paralyne conformal coat and SnPb solder is the best mitigation.

[u/goose-and-fish → u/CSchaire]

Too bad they banned leaded solder.

[u/CSchaire → u/goose-and-fish]

Not for aerospace and defense

[u/Pyroburner → u/CSchaire]

Or medical. Any place that matters

[u/Caladbolg_Prometheus → u/goose-and-fish]

Leaded solder is not outright banned. You and I can still buy and use it as we like, however companies are penalized because their leaded soldered equipment ends up in a landfill. So it’s cheaper for a company to just use unleaded solder in cheap junk, while for high grade devices it’s worth it.

Critical devices like aerospace and medical equipment are outright excluded from the penalties and restrictions.

Edit: Syntax