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1.
2.
3.
4.
Payload
Power (EPS)
Structures, Thermal and Mechanisms (STM)
Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) (or) Guidance, Navigation and Control
(GNC)
5. Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC)
6. Command and Data Handling (CDH) (or) OnBoard Data Handling (OBDH)
7. Systems Engineering
1. Payload
The mission objective includes the reason for and purpose of the space mission, the goal and the
subject of the mission, as well as its benefits. The mission objective can be, for example,
operational weather monitoring for weather service organizations or investigation of phenomena
on the Earths surface or in deep space for scientific establishments or other institutions. In these
cases the mission subject would be the Earths surface or deep space.
The payload is directly correlated with the mission objective, because it is only possible to reach
the mission objective by using the payload successfully. In most cases it is an instrument or a
sensor which generates essential data for the satellite mission. The very strict constraints regarding
mass, volume and power drastically limit the choice of available instruments. There is a large
scope and demand for the miniaturization of instruments. If the mission is a pure technology
demonstration mission, then the component to be tested is the payload, which could be a
component of a subsystem, a subsystem or even the satellite itself. In the last case, there is no
simple distinction between satellite bus and payload.
2. Power
The Electrical Power Subsystem (EPS) provides, stores, distributes and controls spacecraft
electrical power. The most important sizing requirements are the demands for average and peak
electrical power and the orbital profile (inclination and attitude). The electrical power loads for
mission operations at beginningoflife (BOL) and endoflife (EOL) must be identified by the
EPS.
Typical top-level power subsystem functions:
Supply a continuous source of electrical power to spacecraft loads during the mission life.
Control and distribute electrical power to the spacecraft.
Support power requirements for average and peak electrical load.
Provide converters for ac and regulated dc power buses, if required.
Provide command and telemetry capability for EPS health and status, as well as control by
ground station or an autonomous system.
Protect the spacecraft payload against failures within the EPS.
Suppress transient bus voltages and protect against bus faults.
6. Command and Data Handling (CDH) (or) OnBoard Data Handling (OBDH):
The CDH performs two major functions. It receives, validates, decodes, and distributes commands
to other spacecraft systems and gathers, processes, and formats spacecraft housekeeping and
mission data for downlink or use by an onboard computer. This equipment often includes
additional functions, such as spacecraft timekeeping, computer health monitoring (watchdog), and
security interfaces.
Classical OBDH architectures are based upon a central processor, typically connected via a video
or digital path to the RF communications subsystem. This central processor will communicate with
the platform subsystems such as the AOCS and the payloads using a serial bus with high data
integrity.
7. Systems Engineering
System engineering is often characterized as both an art and a science. This apt characterization is
appropriate because good system engineering requires the creativity and knowledge of systems
engineers, but it also requires systems management or the application of a systematic disciplined
approach.
A logical process of activities that transforms a set of requirements arising from a specific mission
objective into a full description of a system which fulfils the objective in an optimum way. It
ensures that all aspects of a project have been considered and integrated into a consistent whole.
System engineering encompasses the following functions:
References:
1. Space Mission Analysis and Design, Larson and Wertz; Kluwer; 2005
2. Handbook of Space Technology; Ley, Wittmann and Hallmann; Wiley; 2009
3. Spacecraft Systems Engineering; Fortescue, Swinerd and Stark; Wiley; 2011