Description
Priority 2
Objective: Design and test High Power Slip-Ring with minimised internal power dissipation.
Targeted Improvements:
- Volume decrease by a factor 2 (slip ring).
- Secondary effect to SADM volume.
- Reduced operational temperature .
Description: Solar Array Drive Mechanisms (SADM) for future high power missions, e.g. full electric platforms, will have to transfer more power without increasing their physical volume. Therefore, the ratio of power to mass will have to increase further such that more power can be transferred per unit volume. Since slip rings dissipate a small portion of the power they transfer, this means also that their operational temperature may increase. Consequently, it is important to develop a new design and/or identify new sliding contact materials that can operate under higher temperatures and/or dissipate less power per unit of transferred power.
SADM slip-ring technologies suffer from ageing and creep effect during their lifetime. Being temperature dependant, these effects can be reduced if the design of theslip-ring and the SADM is made such that the power dissipation inside the SADM is reduced. The proposed activity will deal with thedevelopment of a more robust and long life SADM for high power telecom applications.
The work logic proposed is the following:
- Review of slip ring technologies and selection of most promising technology for high power telecomms missions
- Design of a slip ring for high power telecom applications
- Manufacture and Testing of an EM representing critical functions
Priority 2 activities will only be initiated on the explicit request of at least one delegation. Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news "Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and R&D entities in ESA programmes".