Driven largely by weight and size limitations, small spacecraft are using advanced power generation and storage technology such as >29% efficient solar cells and lithium-ion batteries. The higher risk tolerance of the small spacecraft community has allowed both the early adoption of technologies like flat lithium-polymer cells as well as COTS products not specifically designed for spaceflight. This can dramatically reduce cost and increase mission-design flexibility. In this way, power subsystems are benefiting from the current trend of miniaturization in the commercial electronics market as well as from improvements in photovoltaic and battery technology.
Despite these developments, the small spacecraft community has been unable to use other, more complex technologies. This is largely because the small spacecraft market is not yet large enough to encourage the research and development of technologies like miniaturized nuclear energy sources. Small spacecraft power subsystems would also benefit from greater availability of flexible, standardized power management and distribution systems so that every mission need not be designed from scratch. In short, today’s power systems engineers are eagerly adopting certain innovative Earth-based technology — like lithium polymer batteries — while, at the same time, patiently waiting for important heritage space technology — like fuel cells and RTGs — to be adapted and miniaturized.
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