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 opposed to specially produced satellites. Bus-derived satellites are usually customized to 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 also used in spacecraft which occupy lower orbits, occasionally including low Earth orbit missions.
ExamplesEdit
Diagram of the James Webb Space Telescope's spacecraft bus. The solar panel is in green and the light purple flats are radiator shades.[5]
Some satellite bus examples include:
- Boeing DS&S 702
- Lockheed Martin Space Systems A2100
- Alphabus
- 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
- Orbital ATK GEOStar
- Mitsubishi Electric DS2000
- Spacecraft bus of the James Webb Space Telescope
- SPUTNIX TabletSat
- SPUTNIX OrbiCraft-Pro
ComponentsEdit
A 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 alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ^ "TU Delft: Spacecraft bus subsystems". Lr.tudelft.nl. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "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. 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.