Satellite Subsystem

• Power supply subsystem

• Attitude and orbit control
• Telemetry , Tracking and Command (TT&C)
• Payload
• Thermal control subsystem
• Mechanical structure
2.2 Power Supply Subsystem
• The power supply subsystem generates ,stores,controls and
distributes electrical power to other subsystems on board the satellite
platform.

• The power requirement could vary from a few watts to tens of

kilowatts
Types of Power System

• Are developed based on the use of

Solar Energy
Chemical Energy
Nuclear Energy
Solar Energy Driven Power System
Principle of operation of a Solar cell
Batteries used onboard satellite
• Ni-Cd (Nickel cadmium)
• Ni-MH(Nickel metal Hydrogen)
• Ni-H2 ( Nickel Hydrogen)
• Lithium Ion Battery
Ni-Cd (Nickel cadmium)

• Most commonly used rechargeable battery

• Ni-Cd uses Cadmium anode , Nickel Hydroxide Cathode and an
alkalyne electrolyte.
• The batteries are highly prone to memory effect.
Memory effect means that if a battery is only partially discharged
before charging repeatedly, it can forget that it can further discharged.

• Ni-Cd Batteries are used in LEO satellites

Nickel Metal Hydride Battery
• Cadmium free
• The anode is made up of hydrogen storage metal alloy and the
cathode is made up of nickel oxide.
• Higher energy density compared to NiCd batteries.--increased run
time with no additional weight implication
• Less affected by memory effect as compared to NiCd batteries.
Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries
• NiH2 battery uses Nickel hydroxide as the cathode, hydrogen as the
active element in the anode.
• The battery is characterized by high specific energy ,high power
density and high cyclic stability.
• Resistance to deep discharge and
• Used on both the LEO and the GEO satellites like INSAT-3,Intelsat-
7,Arabsat-2,Superbird
Lithium Ion Battery
• Lithium Ion batteries produce the same energy as NiMH battteries but
weigh approximately 30% less.
• Do not suffer from the memory effect
• Special handling is required as lithium ignites very easily
• They can be used for LEO,MEO and GEO satellites.
Problem:

• It is desired that the battery system on board the

satellite is capable of meeting the full power
requirement of 3600W for the worst case eclipse
period of 72 min. If the satellite uses NiH2 cells of
1.3V, 90 ah capacity each with an allowable DoD of
80% and discharge efficiency of 95%.find the
(a)number of cells required (b)total mass of the
battery system. Given that the specific energy
specification of the battery is 60 Wh/kg.
Problem:

• It is desired that the battery system on board the

satellite is capable of meeting the full power
requirement of 3600W for the worst case eclipse
period of 72 min. If the satellite uses NiH2 cells of
1.3V, 90 ah capacity each with an allowable DoD of
80% and discharge efficiency of 95%.find the
(a)number of cells required (b)total mass of the
battery system. Given that the specific energy
specification of the battery is 60 Wh/kg.
Solution:

• Power required P=3600W

• Worst case eclipse period=72 min=1.2h
• Therefore,
Required energy=3600x1.2=4320Wh
Now, energy stored by n cells is given by:
Capacity of each cell(in Ah)xVoltage of each cell(in
V)xDepth of dischargeXDischarge efficiencyxn
Energy stored by n cells=90x1.3x0.8x.95xn=88.92xn
This gives, 88.92xn=4320

n=49 cells

Energy required to be stored in the battery system (Eb)=Energy stored

in n cells/(DoDxdischarge efficiency)

=4320/(0.8x.95)=5684.2Wh

Mass of battery system=Eb/specific energy

specification=5684.2/60=94.74Kg