ABSTRACT
The electrical power requirement in spacecraft remained under several hundred watts for decades. It was traditionally met with the sun-regulated 28-V d.c. power system. However, the power levels for commercial, science, and military spacecraft have been rising steadily (Figure 22.1).1 It has doubled approximately every 7 years. Because high-voltage systems are lighter and more efficient, the rising power levels have been accompanied by rising voltage levels. For example, the mass saving in just the distribution cables at various power and voltage levels are shown in Table 22.1. Today’s GEO communications satellites use power in the 7 to 15 kW range at 70 to 100V. The ISS uses 105 kW power at 120V. Some strategic Defense Initiative weapons platforms may require steady power in several megawatts and burst power in hundreds of megawatts at voltages up to 100 kV or more. This chapter first presents high-power, high-voltage power system architectures and then discusses concerns and issues in designing such systems.
