Satellite bus

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 less customized than specially-produced satellites, but have specific equipment added to meet 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.

Examples[edit]

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

Components[edit]

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).

References[edit]

^ "TU Delft: Spacecraft bus subsystems". Lr.tudelft.nl. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
^ "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. Archived from the original on 2014-02-20. 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.

External links[edit]

[1] "TU Delft: Spacecraft bus subsystems". Lr.tudelft.nl. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-04-23.

[2] "Spacecraft Systems". Braeunig.us. Retrieved 2014-04-23.

[3] "The James Webb Space Telescope". Jwst.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2014-04-23.

[4] "Antrix Corporation Ltd - Satellites > Spacecraft Systems & Sub Systems". Antrix.gov.in. 2009-09-24. Archived from the original on 2014-02-20. Retrieved 2014-04-23.

[statusupdate1-5] "Status of the JWST Sunshield and Spacecraft" (PDF).

[6] Satellite Bus Subsystems Archived 2012-09-05 at the Wayback Machine, NEC, accessed 25 August 2012.

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Examples[edit]

Components[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]