Research and Development of a Market-Oriented Small Satellite Solar Power System for Space Industry Applications

Current solar panel solutions in the space domain are primarily designed for large satellite missions and are hardly suitable for small satellites considering the optimal energy and thermal balances, so as characteristic heat conduction and radiation properties. The project aims to develop a scalable and resilient solar power system for small satellites operating in low Earth orbit (LEO).

The products of different sizes (3U-16U) to be developed seek to provide a reliable and cost efficient solar power solution for the CubeSat industry, considering the smallsat’s specific mechanical and thermal design requirements. Targeted scalability and enhanced reliability of the product will contribute to the reduction of failed missions and thus mitigation of space debris generation.

MINAS

Modular Interconnected liNear Array Structure 

MINAS is an innovative, versatile system currently under development, designed to enable precise linear deployment and operation of four to eight forward- and rear-facing small payloads.

At its core, MINAS features a maximum 3.5 m length, deployable boom that structurally supports and interconnects the payloads throughout their entire operational lifecycle. Each payload is mounted onto a purpose-built interface device — the Glissor — which locks securely onto the boom upon deployment, ensuring payload stability and alignment across the linear array.
MINAS also incorporates an intelligence system, the Data Processing Unit (DPU), which manages the diverse, distributed payloads along the boom to deliver synchronized, coordinated performance. The DPU architecture comprises two hardware components:

• IPC (Intelligent Payload Controller) — located at the base of the boom, responsible for powering, controlling, and commanding the DPU-Nodes.
• DPU-Nodes — located on each Glissor, each controlling up to two individual small payloads.

All DPU-Nodes are connected to the IPC via a bus topology, enabling centralized command and control across the distributed payload chain.
The MINAS project is currently at TRL3 and is expected to reach TRL7 by 2027.

MINAS is being carried out with funding from the European Space Agency under ESA Contract No. 4000152154/26/NL/FM/mmk.

The project will be completed in 2027.

ENCORE

Endlessly Controllable Organically Redundant Inverter

Hot-redundant PMSM motor driver architecture developed for continuous and fault-tolerant operation in demanding space and robotic applications. The system enables uninterrupted actuation in the event of a single-point failure, supporting critical mechanisms such as robotic arms, rover subsystems, and deployable space structures without interrupting motion during fault switchover.
ENCORE combines a GaNFET-based isolated power architecture with redundant FPGA-based control electronics and fault-tolerant sensing interfaces, enabling resilient high-availability motor control using space-representative component architectures. The ENCORE project is being carried out with funding from the European Space Agency under ESA Contract No. 4000145544/24/NL/RK.

The project will be completed in 2027.

HERMES

HERMES SP is a mission concept based on a constellation of nano-satellites in LEO, hosting new detectors to probe the X-ray temporal emission of bright high-energy transients. C3S supports the H2020 founded project amongst other tasks with preliminary trade-off’s and with own Ground Station design to demonstrate the communication.  Expected close-out is in 2022 TRL9.

Development of multipurpose, thermally optimized satellite structure product line

In the course of this project – considering long-term goals as well – the main aim was to develop such mechanical architectures for cubesats, that facilitates the easier and shorter-term assembly of high quality, mission-oriented small satellites, when compared to our competitors.
As a result, our team developed 3, 6 and 12U structures, complying with cubesat standards, providing the optimal framework for small satellites.

SatCOMM – S-band satellite communication module

In the course of this project C3S aims to develop a new technology-based, small satellite communication system, that offers a solution for one of the present-day problems of the evolution of the small satellite world.
The SatCOMM module will be able to replace the amateur, mostly “home-made” communication systems assembled during the construction of small satellites, in a way that it will be able to serve professional, civilian and industrial needs.

Establishing and expanding new design, manufacturing and integration capacity 

In many areas of the aerospace and space industry, small series production and assembly are required in addition to prototype production processes. C3S had to outsource most part of these tasks, mainly to foreign partners, since such production capacity did not exist in Hungary until now.

This is one of the reasons why the company plans to build new capacity and expand the old one. Within the framework of this project, C3S also intends to expand the instrument park, which will enable multiple and parallel testing of high-reliability and safety-critical systems.