Cubesat SEP Power Module

Today's CubeSats are inherently power limited due to their small size and available surface area. Today's CubeSats offer <100W of available power. This limits their ability to provide high data rate telecommunications, use high power sensors such as lidars, or to travel to distances beyond 1 AU. ExoTerra's SEP Power Module packages over 200 W of power within 1.6U of volume. This increased performance further expands the capabilities of CubeSats and allows them to venture outside Earth orbit. The power module uses a Z-folded, boom deployed array to tightly stow the solar panels during launch. After deployment, it incorporates a single axis gimbal that allows the array to track the sun, providing increased orbit average power versus fixed arrays. Finally, we improve the power efficiency by integrating a 270V direct drive unit. This couples to an Electric Propulsion system to provide a high efficiency propulsion system that's compatible with rideshare launch restrictions.

The small development and launch costs of CubeSats holds the promise of reducing the cost of space exploration an order of magnitude while opening up entirely new classes of missions. To realize this vision requires increases in power capability to enable higher data rates from long distances, higher power sensors, power from greater than 1AU, and electric propulsion systems. ExoTerra's SEP Power Module serves as a high power platform that has applications as a power system for interplanetary spacecraft to the Moon, NEOs, Mars or Venus.

The increased power provided by the SEP Power Module enables multiple commercial applications. The higher power enables higher power telecommunications systems to provide higher data rates. This allows CubeSats to begin entering the commercial communications market. It also provides power to electric propulsion systems, providing a means to perform orbit maintenance, orbit raising or inclination change. This allows the CubeSats to adjust their orbit versus their drop-off trajectory to conduct missions using an organized constellation.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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