A NEW MODULAR AND FLEXIBLE POWER SYSTEM FOR LEO MISSIONS

摘要

System flexibility and modularity is crucial toefficiently adapt Low Earth Orbit satellite design tovarious mission needs. This general principle applies inparticular to the electrical power subsystem whosemajor components (solar array and batteries) constitutea significant part of the spacecraft mass and cost. Thispaper presents intermediate results of an ESA studycarried out by Astrium Satellites on this subject.Contributions of Astrium and ESA stakeholders first ledto an exhaustive mapping of future LEO missionopportunities and their power subsystem needs. Then, awide range of power architectures were compared atsystem level and a preferred one was selected through awide and rigorous trade-off process. This architectureoffers a good compromise between performances andcost. It fulfils all ECSS requirements and provides ahigh level of flexibility. It will be prototyped in the nextphase of the study for performance evaluation.