Russia’s Phobos-Grunt mission to Mars, which launched in November, has ended with a crash back to Earth. A computer malfunction, which has been linked to suspected counterfeit electronic components, is deemed to be the culprit (click here for details). It is a huge disappointment and exemplifies the proliferation of counterfeits even in the most critical of equipment. This only highlights the importance of standardized inspection and testing. The IDEA STD-1010B is the only such standard at the moment. Please contact AERI if you would like to discuss how it can be implemented in your quality control process.
Robb Hammond is the founder and CEO of AERI, an independent electronic component distributor operating since 1994. He is a founding member and former committee chair of SAE AS6081, the counterfeit-avoidance standard for independent distributors adopted by the U.S. Department of Defense, and a recognized authority on counterfeit detection.
