Satellite builders indicate that electric propulsion for multi-kilowatt north/south station keeping of commercial GEO Comsats is needed. Constellations of small LEO satellites would use electric propulsion with power levels of <1 kW. A demand is growing for electrical Power Processing Units(PPU's) from a few hundred watts upwards to 10 kilowatts input-output. Custom PPU designs for each customer require expensive, long development programs. A low cost, flexible architecture for PPU's, which can service a variety of applications is needed.The work in this proposal will demonstrate the feasibility of an innovative approach for PPU's, which responds to the industry's varied demands. SPI proposes a modular concept, employing high power density DC-to-DC power converters, which will allow for a lower cost, flexible designs. A radiation hard space qualified module is needed for this approach. Existing suppliers of DC-DC modules do not produce a low cost space qualified product. SPI will determine the necessary changes to an existing commercial module in order to produce space qualified units which can be used for PPU's and other spacecraft applications. A manufacturing plan to qualify these modules will be defined in Phase I and the development will continue into Phase II.
Potential Commercial Applications:The proposed system would provide a unique off-the-shelf solution for commercial and military applications employing electric propulsion systems. This system may cut in half the development and qualification cycles of this platform equipment, simultaneously with important cost reduction and risk mitigation.
