Axon’ cables on the largest European communication satellite

There is not lack of superlatives to describe Alphasat, the satellite launched by Ariane 5 on 25th July from Kourou in French Guiana. With a weight of 6.6 t and solar panels spanning 40 m, Alphasat manufactured by Astrium is the largest and most sophisticated European communication satellite to date. In order to cable this exceptional spacecraft, Axon’Cable has designed and manufactured high-level connections to distribute energy throughout the satellite. Vital connections Alphasat, which will extend the Broadband Global Area Network of Inmarsat, the European telecommunications operator, highlights the current needs of the market for satellites with greater capacity and with higher energy consumer payloads. The distribution of the considerable power requirements to the different devices of this giant satellite, is the task of specialized aluminium Bus Bar interconnects designed and manufactured by Axon’. These flat form interconnects in a number of different configurations equip the satellite and prove to be an effective alternative to round wires, as their shape provides better heat dissipation given some of the high wattages in use. Some of these bus bars are connected to the batteries (maximum current: 400 Amps). Other smaller flat links are used to interconnect the different elements within the battery. Another vital function: some bus bars connect the batteries to the system in charge of regulating the supply of power to the different satellite devices. The system aims to distribute electrical energy from either the solar panels or the batteries to where it is needed. The role of the system is to regulate the voltage to 100 V for the different devices as the voltage supply from the solar panels and the battery is very variable. Smaller bus bars with ceramic insulation also equip the regulation system. Design and cabling engineering Not only has Axon’ Cable designed the bus bar interconnects but the company has also manufactured a scale 1 mock-up representing a part of the satellite in order to simulate and validate the lengths of the connections. Bus bars are not the only interconnects provided by Axon’ for Alphasat: MIL-STD-1553B data transmission harnesses, high data rate SpaceWire links, overbraided and custom designed cable assemblies also equip the satellite.

For more information on Axon’ cables on the largest European communication satellite talk to Axon Cable Ltd