Abstract
After a successful AS250 LEO PCDU product life [1], with more than 12 FMs manufactured (4 of them currently in orbit), and 10 years in the market, an evolution is required in the product to make available a new PCDU for Low Earth Orbit, scientific, interplanetary and export missions in line with evolving customer needs.Market trend towards volume & mass reduction, plus new required capabilities (in particular End of Life Passivation and Launch Off to support multiple launch) justify the need for a new LEO PCDU EVO generation. This paper will deal with a simple question with no immediate answer: how to save 20% PCDU mass and volume while keeping or improving existing performances.
Highlights
Mass & volume reduction while adding new performances was identified as the design target for this PCDU evolution
The LEO PCDU EVO implements electronics to passivate the solar array once the end of mission was reached [4]
5 CONCLUSIONS Staring from an existing LEO PCDU product, with more than 12 FMs manufactured, strategies have been presented for product optimization and mass & volume reduction, while adding new features in line with emerging customer requirements
Summary
The targeted unit is intended to satisfy the needs of LEO and scientific spacecraft with a design and construction optimized for small missions, but covering medium power range units up to 3kW. A novel approach has been developed for that, on which the interface with the solar array (DET function) and the battery is scalable to the total solar array and battery energy to be managed
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