Energy and Electronics

A highly reliable and efficient power supply is a fundamental requirement for the functioning of all electronic systems onboard of any spacecraft or satellite. The power consumption of satellites reaches from less than 100 W up to more than 10 kW. The primary energy source are often solar cells, which directly convert light into electric energy. For an optimized energy yield the voltage of the solar generator has to be controlled by an electronic converter with Maximum Power Point Tracking.

The institutes of the Fraunhofer Alliance Space develop highly efficient solar cells with efficiencies up to 46 percent as well as power converters with efficiencies up to 99 percent.

In addition to the power supply system another focus of their work is the development of highly reliable satellite bus controllers and camera systems.

Competences

Development of highly compact and highly efficient power electronics
Detailed electrical and thermal simulations for power electronic systems
Circuit and PCB development for a wide range of power
Power converters with radiation resistant Gallium Nitride transistors
Closed loop control systems in analog and digital domain
III – V solar cells with highest efficiencies
Highly reliable, redundant satellite bus controller systems
FPGA based on-board controller systems
MPP Tracking for solar cells and thermoelectric generators

Projects

Highly reliable, redundant platform PowerPC MPC823e. Operating in BIRD, TET, BIROS, Firebird
Multicore QorIQ P4080 with 8 x MPC a 1,5 GHz. Operating in DEOS
Highly compact and efficient inverter with SiC-transistors for terrestrial application
Highly compact, resonant DC/DC converter with galvanic isolation with GaN transistors. P = 1 kW f< 1 MHz