Small Satellites

Microsatellites offer an exciting testing ground for innovative satellite approaches due to their very short implementation times, both for new approaches in production and for the use of new technologies in orbit. Challenges for applications in the field of microsatellites are above all robustness, alignment accuracy, energy efficiency and miniaturization. Robustness is achieved by a clever combination of partially redundant hardware and intelligent software. This keeps costs low and therefore offers a significant advantage over large satellites. It makes small satellites more reliable without becoming too expensive. Instead of complex radiation-hard components or heavy shielding, appropriate software approaches that detect and filter out interference are used.

The development of the international UNISEC standard for the electrical interface in Würzburg also contributes to miniaturization and increased performance. Thanks to the development of the UNISEC standard, even higher integration densities and better energy efficiency can be achieved, but also higher signal throughput can be realized.