A satellite bus (or spacecraft bus) is the main body and structural component of a satellite or spacecraft, in which the payload and all scientific instruments are held.
Bus-derived satellites are less customized than specially-produced satellites, but have specific equipment added to meet customer requirements, for example with specialized sensors or transponders, in order to achieve a specific mission.[1][2][3][4]
They are commonly used for geosynchronous satellites, particularly communications satellites, but are most commonly used in spacecraft which occupy low Earth orbit missions.
Examples
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Some satellite bus examples include:
- Boeing DS&S 702
- Lockheed Martin Space Systems A2100
- Alphabus – Family of geostationary communications satellites
- INVAP ARSAT-3K
- Airbus D&S Eurostar
- ISRO's I-1K, I-2K, I-3K, I-4K, I-6K, and Indian Mini Satellite bus
- NASA Ames MCSB
- SSL 1300
- Rocket Lab Photon – Satellite bus made by Rocket Lab family
- Orbital ATK Star Bus family, inc GEOStar
- Mitsubishi Electric DS2000
- Spacecraft bus of the James Webb Space Telescope
- SPUTNIX TabletSat
- SPUTNIX OrbiCraft-Pro
Components
editA bus typically consists of the following subsystems:[6]
- Command and data handling (C&DH) system
- Communications system and antennas
- Electrical power system (EPS)
- Propulsion
- Thermal control
- Attitude control system (ACS)
- Guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) system
- Structures and trusses
- Life support (for crewed missions).
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "TU Delft: Spacecraft bus subsystems". Lr.tudelft.nl. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
- ^ "Spacecraft Systems". Braeunig.us. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
- ^ "The James Webb Space Telescope". Jwst.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
- ^ "Antrix Corporation Ltd - Satellites > Spacecraft Systems & Sub Systems". Antrix.gov.in. 2009-09-24. Archived from the original on 2014-02-20. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
- ^ "Status of the JWST Sunshield and Spacecraft" (PDF).
- ^ Satellite Bus Subsystems Archived 2012-09-05 at the Wayback Machine, NEC, accessed 25 August 2012.