Lecture 4

Satellite Subsystems [2]

ECO 364
Satellite Communications
Weekly: 2 lectures + 2 tutorials

Lecturer
Dr. Sherif Ismail Elsanadily
 Power Systems

 Thermonuclear generators:

 Some deep space research satellites (space probes) used them because

sunlight strength ↓ with spacecra squared distance from the sun.

 Prohibited due to danger of nuclear fuel if launch fails.

 When close spacecraft to Jupiter (at 1440 million km from sun), sunlight

intensity is 1% of that in an earth orbit (Solar panels are not effective).

 Solar Power Systems

 Radiation falling on GEO satellite has an intensity of 1.36 kW/m2.

 Solar cells not convert all incident energy into elec. power (efficiency of
GaAs cells ~33–39% at beginning (BOL) & falls with time due to aging).

 Silicon cells of a typical home solar system have 10%-19% efficiency.

 In the design: Considering ~15% extra area of solar cells provided to

compensate aging and providing sufficient power at satellite end of life
(EOL).
 Solar Power Systems

 Solar flat panels are rotated by a motor to maintain normal incidence of

sunlight --> heating up cells (50–80°C).

 Rotary joint with slip rings for each solar sail to transfer current from
rotating sail to satellite body (if a slip ring fails, cutting power in half).

 Large GEO~s with solar arrays generating up to 20 kW (each sail with 50V
and 200A current).

 Notes:
 Largest solar system in space located on ISS (panels added over period of
years to reach 120 kW).
 Panels of LEO ISS experience sunlight for only half of each orbit --> only
60% O/P used to charge batteries to continue while it is in darkness.
 Batteries

Nickel-Hydrogen Battery Lithium-Ion Battery

 Batteries

 Batteries designed to operate with max. depth of

discharge 'DoD' (better battery with lower DoD
percentage).
 If battery discharged below its maximum DoD, it
may not recover to full operational capacity once
recharged. (DoD sets the power drain limit during
eclipse).
 Nickel-hydrogen (Ni–H2) batteries can operate at
about a 70% depth of discharge and recover fully
once recharged.
 Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are increasingly being
used in satellites. They can be taken to 75% depth
of discharge and do not have a memory effect. Nickel-Cadmium Battery
 Memory effect in a battery: occurs when it is
recharged before being completely empty (it
decreases battery life).
 Batteries

Depth of discharge (DoD): used for describing how deeply the battery is
discharged. It is calculate as the discharged electrical energy divided by the total
stored energy.
 Batteries

 Q. How Ground controllers perform battery-conditioning routines to ensure best

battery performance during the eclipse?
A. The routines based on discharging batteries until close to their maximum DoD and
then fully recharging them just before eclipse begins.

 energy density of Ni–H2 battery is 1/3 Li-ion battery, but it can handle 20 000 charge
cycles.

 GEO satellites only have two eclipse seasons a year (90 total & partial eclipses)

 LEO and MEO satellites can have up to 5500 eclipse periods a year.

 Ni–H2 batteries superseded Ni-Cd batteries due to lighter mass, despite their higher
cost and larger volume.

 Li-ion batteries, with similar DoD as Ni–H2 batteries (70% DoD) and ability to handle
1000–2000 cycles, are now incorporated in GEO satellites.
Eclipses: Spring and Fall Equinoxes
 Eclipses: Spring and Fall Equinoxes

 Satellites must carry batteries to power the subsystems during

launch and eclipses.

 Eclipse occur twice per year (of longest duration 70 minutes, around
spring (20 March) and fall (22 September) equinoxes), when earth
shadow covers the satellite.

 By locating satellite 20°W of service area longitude, satellite full

eclipse will occur after 1 a.m. for the service area (when shutdown is
more acceptable).
 Power Conditioning and Distribution Unit (PCDU)

 Lithium-ion batteries of widespread use on satellites due to higher capacity per

unit weight (Typical battery voltages 20–50V with capacities 20–1000 Ah).

 Power-conditioning unit controls charging current and dumps excess current from
solar cells into heaters or load resistors.

 Sensors (on batteries, power regulator, and solar cells) monitor temperature, V,
and I, and supply this data to both control systems (onboard & earth station).
 Example
A large GEO satellite requires a total of 12 kW to operate its communication systems and
1.5 kW for housekeeping purposes. The solar cells on the satellite are mounted on two
large sails that rotate to face the sun at all times. The efficiency of the solar cells is 36%
at BOL and 33% at EOL. Using an average incident solar flux density of 1.36 kW/m2.
 Calculate the area of each solar sail to meet the power requirements at the end of the
satellite’s life.
 How much power is generated at BOL?
 If the width of the solar arrays are 2.0m. What are their length in each sail?
Answer:
The total power required by the satellite is 13.5 kW. At EOL the solar cells’ efficiency is
33%.With an incident solar flux of 1.36 kW/m2, the total area of solar sail required is
.
= = .
. × .
At BOL, the . of solar cells will generate a power where
= . × . × . = .
Each solar array must have an area of . and will have a length of 7.53m.