Tin (and Other Metal) Whisker Induced Failures
The following section provides a sample of publicly available references describing electronic system failures attributed to metal whiskers (tin, zinc, silver, etc.).  This list is NOT ALL ENCOMPASSING. A Whisker Anecdotes section has also been established to document whisker induced problems where more "formal" publicity is either unavailable or unwanted by the individuals/organizations contributing the information

On-Orbit COMMERCIAL (non-NASA) Satellite Failures 
The following commercial (non-NASA) satellites have reportedly suffered on-orbit failures of their satellite control processors (SCP) due to tin whisker induced short circuits where the whiskers grew on pure tin plated electromagnetic relays.  Each satellite was designed with a primary and one redundant SCP.  Failure of both primary and redundant SCPs results in a complete loss of the satellite's primary mission.

(Table Information Obtained from: Satellite News Digest)

Articles about Commecial (non-NASA) Satellite Failures:

LAUNCHES OF HUGHES HS 601 SATELLITES READY TO RESUME - (Hughes/Boeing Press Release August 1998)

DirecTV 3: 
Boeing BSS 601 DirecTV 3 Experiences SCP Glitch (Space and Tech.com - May 2002)
Anomaly on DirecTV 3 (Microcom's Space NewsFeed - May 2002)
Anomaly Noted On DIRECTV 3 Satellite (DirecTV Press Release - May 14, 2002)
Processor Problem Continues To Dog Boeing Satellites (e-inSITE.com - May 2002)
Anomaly Noted on DIRECTV 3 Satellite (Hughes Press Release May 2002)

GALAXY VII:
PANAMSAT's GALAXY VII Satellite Ceases Operations: Full-Time Services are Not Affected (PanamSat Nov. 2000)
Galaxy VII Lost (Microcom's Space Newsfeed Nov. 2000)

SOLIDARIDAD 1:
Satmex’s Solidaridad HS 601 Fails (Space and Tech.com September 4, 2000)
Mexican Satellite Failure May Be Linked to Past Problem (SpaceViews Aug 2000)
$250 million Mexican satellite goes silent (Florida Today Space Online - Aug. 29, 2000)
Satellite failure causes communications blackout

GALAXY IV
Pager Messages Lost in Space -Crucial Satellite Causes Widespread Trouble - (CNN.com  May 20, 1998)
National Public Radio Story - Satellite (NPR.org May 1998)
S. Silverstein, "Reasons for Failure Lost with Galaxy 4", Space News, Aug. 17-23, 1998, pp. 19-20
B. Nordwall, Aviation Week & Space Technology, Aug. 17, 1998, pp. 47

GALAXY III-R
Design flaw surfaces on PanAmSat's Galaxy 3R (Spaceflight Now.com - April 24, 2001)
Galaxy IIIR Shifts to Backup Control After Failure (Space and Tech.com - April 23, 2001)

Military Failures

1. Military Airplane:  G. Davy, "Relay Failure Caused by Tin Whiskers", Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Technical Article, October 2002

2. Patriot Missile:  Anoplate WWW Site:  "The Trouble With Tin: Get the Lead Out" (Fall 2000)

3. Phoenix Air to Air Missile:  L. Corbid, "Constraints on the Use of Tin Plate in Miniature Electronic Circuits", Proceedings 3^rd International SAMPE Electronics Conference, pp. 773-779, June 20-22, 1989.

4. F-15 Radar:  B. Nordwall, "Air Force Links Radar Problems to Growth of Tin Whiskers", Aviation Week and Space Technology, June, 20, 1986, pp. 65-70

5. U.S. Missile Program:  J. Richardson, and B. Lasley, "Tin Whisker Initiated Vacuum Metal Arcing in Spacecraft Electronics," Proceedings 1992 Government Microcircuit Applications Conference, Vol. XVIII, pp. 119 - 122, November 10 - 12, 1992.

6. U.S. Missile Program:  K Heutel and R. Vetter, "Problem Notification: Tin Whisker growth in electronic assemblies", Feb. 19, 1988, memorandum

Medical Equipment Failures

1. Heart Pacemaker Recall Food and Drug Administration March 1986

2.  Apnea Monitor Failures:  J. Downs, "The Phenomenon of Zinc Whisker Growth and the Rotary Switch (or, How the Switch Industry Captured the Abominable Snowman)", Metal Finishing, August 1994, pp. 23-25  NOTE:  This issue is a ZINC Whisker failure!

Industrial/Power

Additional Metal Whisker Related "Events" Affecting the Power Industry

Computer Servers / Routers / Power Supplies / etc

1. See the ZINC WHISKER section of this www site for LOTS of articles attributing system failures to ZINC WHISKERS from Raised Access Floor Tile

DISCLAIMER:
This website provides information about tin whiskers and related research. The independent research performed during the past 50+ years is so vast that it is impractical to cover all aspects of tin whiskers in this one resource. Therefore, the absence of information in this website about a particular aspect of tin whiskers should NOT be construed as evidence of absence.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. For technical references posted herein, copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.

SECURITY BANNER