MPPT

The Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) is a battery charger that connects satellite solar panels directly to the spacecraft battery bus. The MPPT module is available with four PV (photovoltaic) input channels. Each channel consists of a DC-DC buck converter that ensures the optimal operating point for each solar cell array is maintained over the full temperature range. After PV power conversion, the four channels are combined through ideal diodes and made available as two output power buses. Each power bus employs an internal switch that can be set in software in order to disable battery charging. The MPPT comes with dual MCUs and a CAN interface for redundancy. It is used across Space Inventor’s satellite platforms, including the Space Domain Awareness microsatellite, Geostationary BIU Microsatellite, ESM Satellite Platform, Astro Observatory, 16U GEO for BIU, 16U Hyperspectral 200mm, 16U Satellite, 12U Satellite, 8U Satellite, 6U Tactical Communications, 6U AIS/VDES, and 6U Satellite.