Space Power Systems: Design of a power system for small satellites - where to start and what are the essentials?
Dear Ali,
In order to design a power system, you should know how much power your satellite will need and how much power it needs to generate in operations (with solar panels). Make a power balance sheet to measure the input and output of power.
To get better grasp of power system, I encourage you to have a look on these cube satellites projects on STEMN ozcube, flowersat and celeritas (links below).
https://stemn.com/projects/flowersat-1
https://stemn.com/projects/x-cube
https://stemn.com/projects/ozqube-1
Also consider how much storage you'd need in case of eventualities
Two texts that were very helpful to me, in building my first microsat, were:
- Space Mission Engineering, also known as SME (http://astrobooks.com/spacemissionengineeringthenewsmadsme-smadwertzeverettpuschellavailablespring2011softcover.aspx). This has chapters on all subsystems, including power subsystem design. You should certainly get a copy of this and read it. It covers all space systems, not focusing particularly on low-cost ones, and so the methodology (particularly in the project management chapters) is much heavier than low-cost missions can afford in places. But it covers the essentials of spacecraft design better than any other book I know.
(actually I used the earlier version of this, Space Mission Analysis and Design (SMAD) --- http://www.amazon.com/Mission-Analysis-Design-Technology-Library/dp/1881883108 --- SME is the expanded, latest version of that.)
- Reducing Space Mission Cost (RSMC) (http://astrobooks.com/reducingspacemissioncostsoftbackjamesrwertzandwileyjlarson-1996.aspx). This is a series oc case-studies of "low cost" satellites that were successfully flown in the 1990s (mostly). If you're doing your first nanosat or microsat, these case-studies are really useful to read.
The one other thing I'd encourage, is to attend the Smallsat conference in Utah in August (http://www.smallsat.org/). That's the world's biggest gathering of people who know their stuff in this regard, and if you're building nanosats and microsats you really really ought to attend. You'll find many people there who can help you out.
First know the load you have and consider 30% loss and then know for sure maximum time you may not have solar irradiation to estimate your storage capacity. As it is for satellite power system, the power should be reliable and therefore it should be done with much care. In addition, you should know the solar resource at the point of your satellite (at the orbitals movements of the satellite at all time). At this point I want you to take care to do the resource assessment much seiesly inoder to precisely determine the solar power system of the satellite in question for you don't know where and when the satellite is going to be blocked by any object or planet etc unless you get some assistance from NASA.
This paper might be useful. It is the power system design document of our satellite.
Conference Paper Electrical Power System of SRMSAT -2
@ all, thanks, i am grateful for your response. i will surely consider your suggestions
Assalamu alaikum Engr Ali hows the family and studies? kindly help me with the details of the said power subsystem design pls. best regards.
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