Low Power Processing Unit (PPU)
Programme
GSTP
Programme Reference
GT27?106EP
Prime Contractor
THALES ALENIA SPACE BELGIUM
Start Date
End Date
Status
Closed
Country
Belgium
Objectives
The objective of the proposed activity is to develop a low power (700 W) PPU Engineering Model for electric propulsion in two variants: one PPU for a low Power High Efficiency Multistage Plasma (HEMPT) thruster and one PPU for a low power Hall Effect Thruster (HET).
Description
The simultaneous development proposed in the frame of this activity will allow to optimize the commonalities between the two PPUs and to reduce the development costs by looking for similar electrical architecture, packaging concepts and technologies. Ultimately, the two PPUs resulting from this activity will be coupled with HEMPT and HET thrusters developed in the frame of two H2020 EPIC programmes.
The activity will be executed in 3 steps:
? Architecture: this phase will look into the commonalities mentioned above including electrical architecture, packaging and technologies while at the same time finding the optimum balance between the two variants;
? Design and Development: based on the outcomes of the first phase, the electrical design of the common and the specific parts will be performed including the packaging; this phase will conclude with a Preliminary Design Review which will authorise to proceed to the next phase;
? Manufacturing and Test: during this phase the two PPU Engineering Models will be manufactured and tested. A Structural Model with also be manufactured to validate the mechanical withstanding.
Preceding system engineering work and the establishment of a requirement specification has already been performed in the frame of a previous activity involving system primes and thruster manufacturers.
Application Domain
GEN-Generic Technologies
Technology Domain
3 - Space Systems Electrical Power
Competence Domain
4-Electric Architecture, Power and Energy, EMC
Initial TRL
TRL 4
Target TRL
TRL 6
Achieved TRL
TRL 6