Radiation shield implementing design for demise

A method of fabricating a radiation shield configured to destruct upon atmospheric reentry, the method comprising:

• forming a first plurality of recesses in a first surface of a substrate configured to disintegrate upon the atmospheric reentry;
• forming a second plurality of recesses in a second surface of the substrate, wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface;
• depositing radiation shielding material on the first surface and the second surface and in the first plurality of recesses and the second plurality of recesses, wherein the radiation shielding material is configured to transmit a quantity of radiation through the radiation shielding material that is less than a quantity of radiation which would be transmitted through the substrate alone;
• and
• removing the radiation shielding material except in the first and the second pluralities of recesses;
• wherein each portion of the second surface is only opposite the radiation shielding material in one or more of the first plurality of recesses, wherein each portion of the first surface is only opposite the radiation shielding material in one or more of the second plurality of recesses, and wherein a melting point of the radiation shielding material is larger than a melting point of the substrate, and wherein the substrate is configured to disintegrate upon the atmospheric reentry.

A radiation hardened payload comprising:

• a payload susceptible to damage and/or diminished performance due to radiation exposure;
• and
• a radiation shield system enclosing such payload, wherein the radiation shield system includes at least one radiation shield, wherein each radiation shield includes:
• a substrate and which has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
• a first plurality of recesses in the first surface, wherein adjacent recesses, of the first plurality of recesses, are separated by a portion of the first surface of the substrate;
• a second plurality of recesses in the second surface, wherein adjacent recesses, of the second plurality of recesses, are separated by a portion of the second surface of the substrate;
• radiation shielding material only in each of the first plurality of recesses and in each of the second plurality of recesses, wherein the radiation shielding material is configured to transmit a quantity of radiation through the radiation shielding material that is less than a quantity of radiation which would be transmitted through the substrate alone;
• and
• wherein each portion of the second surface is only opposite the radiation shielding material in one or more of the first plurality of recesses, wherein each portion of the first surface is only opposite the radiation shielding material in one or more of the second plurality of recesses, and wherein a melting point of the radiation shielding material is larger than the melting point of the substrate, and wherein the substrate is configured to disintegrate upon atmospheric reentry.