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ESA small satellites and associated technologies

Frédéric TestonSystems & Engineering Support DivisionDirectorate for Technical and Quality ManagementEuropean Space Agency - ESTEC

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ESA has several technology programs including:

- TRP Technology Research Program

- GSTP General Support Technology Program

Within the GSTP, a plan for in orbit demonstration on small satellites is included.

IOD

Building BlocksBasic

Support to Programmes and Industry

Element 4

Element 2&3

Element 1

Background

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Background (2)Why In Orbit Demonstration ?• A number of European technologies in particular generic technologies and techniques supporting

industry competitiveness, require in orbit demonstration to achieve and demonstrate their maturity

• A number of mission concept require validation in space before being used in applications and main stream missions

How In Orbit Demonstration ?• Experiments on carrier of opportunities (Space Shuttle payload facilities, Foton, Columbus

Laboratory/International Space Station),• Experiments on launchers• “Complete” space missions dedicated to technology and techniques demonstration

Component Building Blocks Equipment Sub-System

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PROBA 1Development: 1998-2001

Mission: 2001 – still fully operational

PROBA 2Development: 2004-2008Mission: Nov 2009 - …

PROBA 3 – in preparationDevelopment: foreseen 2009-2012

Mission: foreseen 2013 - …

PROBA VDevelopment: 2009-2011

Mission: 2012 - …

Small Satellite Projects

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•Orbit:Spacecraft designed for LEO (sun-synchronous) orbitsAltitude between 600 and 800 km

• Mission duration: 2 to 5 Years• Volume: about 700 mm x 700 mm x 1000 mm• Mass: below 150 kg• Power Consumption: 50 - 100 W • RF: S-band, 64 kbit/s uplink; 2 Mbit/s downlink

•X-Band up to 40 Mbps• Ground station: Mission Control center in Redu (Belgium)• Launcher: VEGA (P3 and PV) – PSLV (P1) – ROCKOT (P2)

PROBA key figures

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PROBA 1Small technology demonstrator satellite for autonomous operations and

Earth observation

Technology Demonstration:• Autonomous on board flight dynamics (position,

attitude and manoeuvre determination)• Avionics technology (ERC32, DSP, 3D modules)• Low cost autonomous star tracker for attitude and rate• Gyro-less manoeuvring satellite• Software methodology (auto coding and SVF)• Battery technology (Li-ion)• New instruments and sensor test (HRC, MRM, PASS,

SIPs)• Common ground infrastructure (EGSE and mission

control centre)• Ground segment automation• Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer

(CHRIS)• Standard Radiation Environment Monitor (SREM)

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PROBA 2Small technology demonstrator satellite for autonomous operations and

Sun monitoring

Payload:

• SWAP - Sun Watcher using APS detector and image processing, based on new detector and providing high acquisition rate.

• LYRA - Lyman Alpha radiometer using a new type of detector.

• DSLP - Dual Segmented Langmuir Probe for plasma charging measurements

• TPMU - Thermal Plasma Measurement Unit• SGVM - Science Grade Vectorized

magnetometer (high accuracy)• PALAMGI - Panoramic 360 degrees optic• X-CAM - Miniaturised camera based on MEMS

and panoramic optics

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PROBA 3Formation Flying technology demonstration mission

Technology Demonstration:• GNC• RF metrology• Optical metrology• Propulsion• System• OperationsPayload• Giant coronagraph

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Examples of Micro-electronics tested on PROBA-2

Data&Power Management System ADPMS (Verhaert)

Miniature Phoenix GPS receiver (DLR)Micro Minature Star Tracker

Electronics (DTU)

Digital Sun Sensor(TNO)

Bepi Colombo Star Tracker (GA)

eXploration Camera (Space-X)

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Electronics development for PROBA-3

± 6.5 mm±

6.5

mm

± 50 mm

8 arcsec

8 arcsec

0.5 deg

0.5 deg

Formation Flying metrologies including:

-RF metrology and inter-satellite link,

-Fine optical metrology (laser based and interferometric based)

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Evolution in Micro-electronics and small satellites

PROBA satellite support the validation of evolution and new concepts:

- Avionics evolution, from separate system to fully integrated system,

- Star tracker miniaturisation

- Instrument miniaturisation

- Packaging

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DHS• ERC32 SPARC V7• 10 MIPS• 8Mb RAM, 2Mb Flash• 8.2kg & 12.3W

ADPMS (PROBA2)• 100MIPS LEON-FT SPARC V8• 100MBit/s downlink capability• 25 UARTS, 116 Analog, 48 Digital• Packetwire interface (10Mbps

RS422/66Mbps LVDS)• 64Mb SDRAM, 4Mb Flash• 28V unregulated bus• 300W, 24 Outputs (max 50W/ output)• 4Gbit mass memory• Mass: 13.3kg• Power Consumption:19.7 W

PCS• 28V regulated• 100W• 20W/output• 5.2kg & 3.5W

SACB• SA Combiner• 1.1kg

PPU• Payload processor• 1.2 Gbit mass memory• 2.2kg & 7.5W

PROBA1

Avionics

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The Proba-II satellite computer offers the following functionality for the following budgets:

Backplane data throughput up to

1,6 GBps

Multi processor support

Processor board- designed for 100MHz operation- 64 Mbyte SDRAM- 4 Mbyte SRAM- 4 Mbyte Flash- 256 kByte Prom Telecommand

- 2 Mbps uplink capability- 4 virtual channels or more- configurable N° of MAP-ID- 56 CPDU channels Telemetry

- 100 Mbps downlink- 5 virtual channels- 2 packetwire inputs - full encoding

Mass memory- 512 Mbyte- with EDAC Context memory

- 128 kbyte- with EDAC

Communication Interfaces- Up to 25 UART channels - Up to 6 TTC-B-01 channels - a camera interface

with frame grabber- 2 packetwires

Analogue Interfaces- Up to 80 analogue inputs- Up to 32 temperature inputs

Time interfaces- 8 programmable clock outputs - 3 clock datation inputs

Power conditioning- Up to 300W satellite peak power - Up to 6 solar sections

Power interfaces- 24 outputs of 28V / 50W- current protected with auto restart- switchable or non-switchable- battery undervoltage protected

with auto switch off

H/W generated emergency telemetry

Centralised time

synchronisation

H/W recovery

TC decoder

1 failuretolerant system

PROBA Avionics

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The LEON2-FT (AT697 from ATMEL):

The on-chip PCI host bridge makes the connection to a high throughput PCI backplane straightforward

The availability of a powerful debug support unit made it very suitable for this applicationThe LEON supports via its PCI-target interface direct read and write access from/to the

main memorythe 7-stage pipelinethe data- and instruction cache

less sensitive to slow memoriesthe little power consumption.

the SDRAM memory controllerlarge memory footprint for minimal board space and littlepower consumption

A new space processor

ESA Processor

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Star tracker

Testing on small satellite of (more and more) miniaturised versions of spacecraft units, e.g. star tracker.

Star tracker on PROBA 1:

-Mass:1.5 kg

-Power:7.6 W

-Performances:5 arcsec and up to 1 deg/s

Star tracker on PROBA 2:

-Mass: 740 g

-Power: 3.7 W

-Performances: 5 arcsec and up to 10 deg/s

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PROBA-V mission objective is to continue the mission of the Vegetation instrument on the SPOT satellites

Using advanced micro-electronics (and optical technology)

VEGETATION instrument on SPOT 5:

-Mass: 160 kg

-Power: 150 W

-Volume:0.7x1x1 m3

PROBA-V :

-Mass: 30 kg (instrument), 100 kg (satellite)

-Power: 25 W (instrument), 100 W (satellite)

-Volume:0.7x0.7x0.8 m3

Instrument miniaturisation

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Micro-electronics and small satellite, what’s next ?

ESA has further increased its technology plan for the development of micro-electronics and MEMS.

A future project called MiniMex has been set-up to structure and focus the technology developments and to identifty the associated developments needed (processes, packaging, connectivity, …)

The “specification” for MiniMex is to fulfill MARSExpress mission using micro-electronics, MEMS…for:

•A spacecraft total wet mass reduced by 3/4•A spacecraft design power reduced by 1/2•Compatibility with a small launch vehicle (VEGA)

Next step

Mars Express

Step 0: Modernisation

Step 1: Miniaturisation

Step 2: Integration

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EXOMARS IOD 3 MSR

DEC

Mini-MEXStudy

Micro/Nano SatsCDF Study

THE FUTURE

Subsystem requirements/constraintsSubsystem requirements/constraints

PCB, BB level SubPCB, BB level Sub--System Preparatory WorkSystem Preparatory Work

Consider terrestrial state of the art/no heritage design/push technology

Mini Mars ExpressMini Mars Express

System design/integrationSystem design/integrationCDF Study - Consider Integration on board, BB not box level => innovation

The Key IdeaThe Key Idea

No Boxes!No Boxes!

System and Payload RequirementsSystem and Payload RequirementsA strawman integrated payload definition (MEX P/L > HIPS based?) and mission

requirements document (launcher, target mass, orbit etc)

JAN FEB MAR APR

TRP ActivitiesTRP Activities

Approach

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Fixed Reference Requirements

The challenge:Investigate which micro-nano technologies could be developped for space which would allow a future “Mini-Mex” mission to achieve the same if not better science performance as Mars Express for significantly less mass and power.

The challenge:Investigate which micro-nano technologies could be developped for space which would allow a future “Mini-Mex” mission to achieve the same if not better science performance as Mars Express for significantly less mass and power.

Thin Film Solar CellsS/C SCOC3 on a ChipSun Sensor on a ChipStar Sensor on a Chip

Integrated avionicsMINIMAL BOXES

MINMAL HARNESSAdvanced Motor ControllersData modulated on power bus

Die micro-packaging

MiniMini--MExMEx

Mars ExpressMars Express

MNTMNT

ScienceScience MissionMission

UnitsUnits

SubSub--SystemSystem

IntegrationIntegration

LaunchLaunch

MiniMini--MexMex Dry S/CDry S/C

Space technology breakthrough using micro-nano technologies (MEMS)

MiniMex

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• System Level Requirements– Vega launch into LEO– Propulsion module for trans-Martian injection– Total injected spacecraft wet mass shall be 400 kg, total system design power shall be 240 W– Science requirements to remain identical to the current MEX design (payload should be optimised)– Mission lifetime shall be 2 years (TBC)– Launch date (TBC).

–– Mission AnalysisMission Analysis• Required ΔV = 1.5 kms-1 for entry into Mars System and operational mission.• Polar Elliptical Orbit - 260/11560 km BOL. After day 440 – 260/10107 km. Inclination 86.30

–– PropellantPropellant• 154 kg propellant assuming current MEX Isp = 316s

VEGA launch into LEO.VEGA launch into LEO.Performance = 1680kg*Performance = 1680kg*Orbit, 202 x 4578km, 6.3Orbit, 202 x 4578km, 6.300

Propulsion module Propulsion module for Mars injection, for Mars injection, ΔΔV = ??? kmsV = ??? kms--1 *1 *

Cruise.Cruise.400 kg injected400 kg injectedΔΔV = 0.65 kmsV = 0.65 kms--1 *1 *

Mars CaptureMars CaptureΔΔV = 0.81 kmsV = 0.81 kms--1 *1 *

Martian Orbital Martian Orbital ManoeuvresManoeuvresΔΔV = 0.04 kmsV = 0.04 kms--1 *1 *

(*TBC)

Mission

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Equipments

Equipments:

•Miniaturised gyroscopes,

•Miniaturised sensors (sun snesor, star tracker)

•System on Chip (SCOC),

•…

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Stacking of packagedcomponents

Chip-on-wafer and stackingStacking of naked dies

• Reduced size & single package for multiple elements

•Approaches:

Packaging

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PackagingElectronics miniaturisationMulti Chip Module (MCM Technology)

⇒ Demonstrated mass reduction by factor of 4, Volume by factor of 7⇒ Estimated mass reduction in Avionics datahandling electronics: 3.3 kg⇒ Estimated mass reduction for Avionics power electronics (50% TBC): 1.4 kg

Total Estimated Miniaturised Avionics mass: ~ 3.3 kg or ~71% ReductionIn addition > 4.5kg saved @ platform (unit removal & harness)Total mass gain on platform > 14.5kg or ~ 12% (excl. structure reduction)

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Connectors

• State of the art of space-qualified miniature connector is Micro-D• Nano-D is less than a quarter of the size of the Micro-D • Nano-D is TRL 4 (commercial terrestrial product)• Spin-In and space evaluation initiated TRL 6 expected in 2-3 years

4 mm typical dimensions for 7-9 contacts10 mm typical dimensions for 7-9 contacts

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Application to future missions

Miniature and advanced micro-electronics are required by small spacecraft and in particular for non earth bound space missions

- NEOmex

- Marco-Polo

- Cross Scale

- nanosatellite

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• Demonstration mission targetted to Apophis (Phase A) • Objective: To demonstrate autonomous navigation to a

Near Earth Object and miniaturised spacecraft technology.

• Challenge: use microsystems integrated in a system to gain performance with respect to mass.

Courtesy of JAXA

ESA Don Qiuixote concept

PROBA-IP

High Gain Antenna

Deep Space Transponders

Range Finder

High Pressure Regulator

Xenon Tank

Flow Control Units

On Board Computer

Power Management Unit (PCDU)

Reaction Wheel

Electrical Propulsion Engines

Battery

Power Supply Control Unit

Solar Panels

Start Trackerand

Optical Headsin –X panel

and +Z Panel

ACS thrusters

Low Gain Antenna

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• ESA/JAXA M-Class candidate mission: NEO Sample return– Spacecraft with remote sensing and touch and go

sampling– Lander with (subsurface) sampling system ~100kg– Re-entry capsule for samples

Courtesy of JAXA

Marco Polo

• M-Class candidate mission for Cosmic Vision• Mission Profile -> 10 spacecraft -> order ~100kg

Cross Scale

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Thank you for your attention

Frederic.Teston@esa.int (Head of Systems & Engineering Support Division)Alberto.Tobias@esa.int (Head of Systems, Software and Technology Department)Eike.Kircher@esa.int (Head of Technology Strategy and TRP Program Division)