ST Engineering Power Control & Distribution Unit (PCDU)
ST Engineering Satellite Systems
Modular, scalable satellite power control and distribution unit delivering up to 4 kW with >97% conversion efficiency for LEO missions.
Typed specifications56 values
Discloses 8 of 14 fields engineers filter by in this category (category median 7).
- Mass
- 24 500 g datasheet p.3 24 500 g with current configuration
- Total output power
- 4 000 W @ 32 V · datasheet p.3 3 300 W Payload Power @ 32 V | 4 000 W Peak Power in LEO SAR mission | 4 000 W system power @ 32 V | 3 300 W max · payload power, up to 3300 W @ 32 V
- Conversion efficiency
- 97 % min · datasheet p.2 97 % min · power conversion efficiency > 97% | 97 % min
- Envelope (L×W×H)
- 453 x 340 x 279 mm3 datasheet p.3 453 x 340 x 279 mm volume, with current configuration
- Outputs (as printed)
- 1 A to 10 A LCL Power Distribution Lines datasheet p.2
- Supply voltage
- 22 V min · Primary Bus Voltage · datasheet p.3 38 V max · Primary Bus Voltage
- Power consumption
- 4 000 W product page 2 000 W
- Data interface
- CAN datasheet p.3 CAN TC/TM redundant CAN bus to OBC
- Operating temperature
- -20 °C min · datasheet p.3 60 °C max | -20–60 °C
- Radiation tolerance (TID)
- 20 krad datasheet p.3 20 krad TID
- Design lifetime
- 5 years datasheet p.3
- TRL
- 9 in-house heritage design, 7th year in orbit without anomalies · datasheet p.1 8 upgraded design
- Unit type
- PCDU datasheet p.1
- Bus and outputs type
- unregulated battery bus primary bus 22 ~ 38 V (battery follower) · datasheet p.2
- Unregulated (battery) bus voltage
- 22 V min · Primary Bus Voltage (battery follower) · datasheet p.3 38 V max · Primary Bus Voltage (battery follower) | 22–38 V primary bus voltage, battery follower
- Switchable outputs
- 72 heater latching current limiter lines · datasheet p.2 56 LCL @ 10 A or less | 48 LCL @ 5 A or less | 4 retriggerable, critical lines | 4 RLCL (retriggerable) for critical lines
- Solar input voltage window
- 42 V min · datasheet p.3 100 V max | 42–100 V solar array voltage
- Max solar input power
- 2 000 W solar power · datasheet p.2
- Solar array regulation
- MPPT datasheet p.2
- Protections
- 56 LCL @ 10 A or less datasheet p.3 under-voltage lockout battery under-voltage protection, configurable hardware cut-off | over-current (LCL) configurable 1 A to 10 A LCL power distribution lines | 48 LCL @ 5 A or less | 4 RLCL (retriggerable) for critical lines +1
- Flight heritage
- In-house Heritage Design - 7th year in orbit without anomalies (TRL-9) datasheet p.2
- Satellite class
- microsat 10-100 kg datasheet p.2 smallsat 100-500 kg
- Max current per output
- 10 A max · per LCL line, 10 A or less · datasheet p.2 5 A max · per LCL line, 5 A or less
- Peak output power
- 4 000 W designed for 4 kW peak power in LEO SAR mission · datasheet p.1
- MPPT
- yes datasheet p.2
- Redundancy
- other battery charge regulators 2 out of 3 redundancy; Single-Point… · datasheet p.2
Each value is typed with its unit and measurement condition and cites the datasheet page it was taken from. Nothing is guessed: a field that is absent here has not been published by the manufacturer. machine-extracted ✓ checked by NewSpace Market ✓ manufacturer confirmed by the manufacturer.
As published by the supplier25 lines, in the manufacturer's own wording
- System power
- 4000 W @ 32 V
- Solar power
- 2000 W
- Payload power
- Up to 3300 W @ 32 V
- Primary bus voltage
- 22 ~ 38 V (battery follower)
- Solar array regulation
- Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)
- Battery management
- Constant Current (CC) & Constant Voltage (CV) Control
- Battery charge regulators
- 2 out of 3 redundancy
- Power conversion efficiency
- > 97%
- Reliability
- Single-Point Failure Free architecture
- Battery under-voltage protection
- Disconnect Non-Essential Loads by TC; Configurable hardware cut-off for satellite safe-hold
- Latching current limiters
- 56 LCL @ 10 A or less; 48 LCL @ 5 A or less; 4 RLCL (retriggerable) for critical lines
- Heater latching current limiters
- 72 heater lines
- Thermal knives deployment driver 1
- Support 4 mechanisms with ARM & FIRE @ 20 V, 8 A
- Frangibolt deployment driver 2
- Support 4 mechanisms with ARM & FIRE @ 22 ~ 36 V, 2 A
- Solar array voltage
- 42 ~ 100 V
- Battery discharging current
- Up to 130 A
- Tc/tm
- Redundant CAN bus to OBC
- Separation switch from launch vehicle
- Triple redundancy
- Mass
- 24.5 kg (with current configuration)
- Volume
- 453 x 340 x 279 mm3 (with current configuration)
- Thermal
- -20°C to 60°C operating range
- Radiation TID
- 20 kRAD
- Radiation SEE
- 40 MeV·cm2/mg
- Design life
- 5 years
- EMI/EMC
- MIL-STD-461
About
The Power Control & Distribution Unit (PCDU) controls the power flow from the Solar Array and the battery and distributes that power to the whole satellite. It provides efficient power regulation and management of 2 kW of solar power, and outputs up to 4 kW of electrical power with protection to the bus, payload and all heaters. Its modular and scalable design suits all missions in LEO, with adaptability to HEO/MEO missions with parts updates. The unit is an in-house heritage design now in its 7th year in orbit without anomalies (TRL-9), with an upgraded design also available at TRL-8. It is compliant to ECSS power interfaces, de-rating and EMC standards, and features a highly reliable, single-point-failure-free architecture with more than 97% power conversion efficiency. The PCDU is optimised for LEO Earth Observation or SAR small-to-medium sized satellites, is designed for 4 kW peak power in LEO SAR missions, and offers configurable 1 A to 10 A Latching Current Limiter (LCL) power distribution lines.
Documentation
Need the full ICD, test reports or a specific revision? Ask the supplier directly.