COTS in Space: What are the Challenges for a New Space Startup?
Gabriel A. Sanca
Passionate about space technology | Small satellite research at UNSAM | LabOSat team member
In the dynamic realm of New Space, where innovation and efficiency are paramount, Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) electrical, electronic, and electromechanical (EEE) components, have emerged as foundational pillars. Their adoption has radically transformed the way we conceive and develop space technologies. This revolution, driven by the willingness to take calculated risks for more cost-effective and rapid developments, poses crucial questions.
We find ourselves in a scenario where the expansion of New Space is not only facilitated by the adoption of COTS but, in fact, necessitates it. In this context, the need arises to explore the real scope of these technologies and how to build a robust portfolio of enabled components. Is it sufficient to rely solely on flight heritage or environmental tests to design space systems capable of withstanding the rigors of the extraterrestrial environment?
In this inaugural installment of 'Beyond the Circuits' we will delve into the universe of space-COTS, exploring their impact, challenges, and the crucial role they play in the technological revolution driving exploration and human presence in space. Are you ready to go beyond conventional circuits?
The use of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components in space has been a debated topic for decades. However, with the remarkable growth spurred by the New Space era, emerging companies are now striving to reduce costs while keeping a steadfast focus on functionality. Also, manufacturing is a crucial aspect to consider in this equation.
In Low Earth Orbit (LEO) applications, the demand often involves large constellations, whether to compete with Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) coverage in telecommunications (but with significantly lower latency) or to achieve high revisit times enabling real-time Earth observation. Such applications are prompting New Space innovators to view satellites as products on an assembly line rather than unique entities. Likewise, the market for turnkey satellites or satellite parts is now also a reality that is pushing mass production. Design must, more than ever, be in line with manufacturing. This perspective naturally demands a different approach to planning, manufacturing, and production timelines.
Contrary to what might be assumed, the use of COTS EEE is not economical, due to the tests that must be carried out to ensure its application [1]. Back to 2010 COTS were rarely used without prior quality testing, or were mostly relegated for use in scientific applications or payloads, but not in a massive way in avionics [2]. On the other hand, the current New Space market is characterized by the extensive use of COTS EEE components. In this context, the need for a nuanced product assurance plan tailored to the mission's requirements, considering factors such as thermal vacuum cycling, gamma radiation hardness, and radiation effects is mandatory. The development of a robust testing strategy at the component, subsystem, and system levels, including Highly Accelerated Life Tests (HALT) [3] to mitigate risks effectively, must be done [4].?
One key aspect is the significance of Component Engineering in ensuring the reliability of New Space missions. The selection of electronic components, even when opting for plain COTS, requires careful consideration, acknowledging that not all components need the same grade for optimal reliability. In this process, a valuable tool is Alter Technology's DOEEET platform , a vast repository of space and other grade components, aiding in informed component selection [4].?
Evaluating the risks associated with employing COTS devices in space systems, particularly in the context of radiation effects, is a critical challenge. Acknowledging the indispensable role of COTS in the New Space era, where traditional space-qualified components pose cost and performance limitations, Budroweit and Patscheider present a comprehensive risk-assessment approach. They outline the constraints for COTS devices, providing guidelines for selecting non-space-qualified components and recommending the use of class-1 EEE devices in specific scenarios. The conclusions drawn in the paper emphasize the significance of the presented risk-assessment methodology, leveraging Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) techniques. The approach involves systematically categorizing the system into functional blocks and determining their independent severity classifications to assess potential risks to the mission and the implications for other systems, such as the satellite bus. If the severity determination allows for the potential use of COTS devices, a subsequent procedure is proposed, encompassing technology and devices assessment, criticality analysis based on available reference data or radiation test data, and ultimately aiding designers and engineers in decision-making. The authors emphasize tailoring the risk assessment to specific mission requirements and highlight the value of their approach in enabling designers to make informed decisions based on analytical data, thus minimizing risks and avoiding extraordinary mission costs, particularly pertinent in the evolving landscape of CubeSat markets and the New Space era [5].
The paradigm shift from traditional Military Specifications (MIL-SPEC) to the incorporation of COTS in military applications, officially initiated by U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry in 1994, has proven successful over decades. Dan Friedlander delved into the comparison between MIL-SPEC and COTS methodologies [6], highlighting the shift from risk avoidance to risk management and from part testing to Statistical Process Control (SPC) in high-volume production for COTS. He asserts that the focus on process control in COTS manufacturing results in reliability built into the part, enabling continuous monitoring and improvement. He challenged traditional notions, urging a reevaluation of reliability prediction models, post-procurement testing requirements, and radiation tolerance levels to optimize the integration of COTS in space applications. He argues that a pragmatic and space-tailored COTS methodology, emphasizing process control over exhaustive part testing, is essential for advancing the industry in an era of evolving technologies and increasing cost pressures.
Part of our contribution to advancing space technology is reflected in the design of our flagship payload (LabOSat-01), specifically engineered for the electrical characterization of electronic devices [7]. This system facilitates rigorous testing in both terrestrial [8] and orbital [9,10] environments, providing invaluable insights into the behavior of COTS EEE. Our approach is rooted in a dedication to understanding the intricacies of COTS devices, be it in simulated conditions on Earth or real-world scenarios in space. Our system serves as a pivotal tool for ongoing innovation, as it can be seamlessly integrated as a secondary payload for testing devices of interest in future missions. This strategic integration ensures a continual flow of testing and innovation across successive satellite generations.
This new phase of New Space requires the adoption of EEE COTS for space use, not simply to reduce costs, but to reduce production times. The turnkey sale of components (as is mainly the case with CubeSats) and satellite platforms, as well as the need for large constellations that enable satellite factories more akin to the automotive than the space industry, require COTS. Especially in a context of shortage of integrated circuits, which forces electronic engineers to be flexible and adaptable to the availability of elements on the market. In this paradigm, different methodologies must be explored to enable the use of COTS, increasing reliability and reducing costs and time-to-market.?
There seems to be a trade-off between time to orbit, cost, success rate and the number of satellites needed for some applications. Can a method be found that allows satellites to be built in a short time, at low cost, and allows emerging companies to compete? All indications are that the industry is evolving in this direction. However, the success rate of new players still faces considerable challenges. [11]. Are there shortcuts that startups or small companies in the sector can take to produce reliable, assembly-line satellites quickly and cost-effectively? What is the way forward for small companies to have product assurance at affordable prices? Are old recipes, flight heritage and environmental testing of the entire system, sufficient??
References
[1] Pignol, M., Malou, F., & Aicardi, C. (2019). COTS in space: Constraints, limitations and disruptive capability. Radiation Effects on Integrated Circuits and Systems for Space Applications, 301-327.
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[2] Pignol, M. (2010, March). COTS-based applications in space avionics. In 2010 Design, Automation & Test in Europe Conference & Exhibition (DATE 2010) (pp. 1213-1219). IEEE.
[3] "Fundamentals of HALT/HASS Testing" (PDF). Keithley Instruments, Inc. Cleveland, Ohio. 2000.
[4] Eladio Montoya. “Product Assurance approach for New Space environment ”, available online.
[5] Budroweit, J., & Patscheider, H. (2021). Risk assessment for the use of COTS devices in space systems under consideration of radiation effects. Electronics, 10(9), 1008.
[6] Dan Friedlander. “COTS EEE parts in space applications: evolution overview ”, available online.
[7] Sanca, G. A., Barella, M., Marlasca, F. G., Alvarez, N., Levy, P., & Golmar, F. (2023). LabOSat-01: a payload for in-orbit device characterization. IEEE Embedded Systems Letters.
[8] Acha, C., Sanca, G. A., Barella, M., Alurralde, M., Marlasca, F. G., Huhtinen, H., ... & Levy, P. (2021). Proton irradiation effects on metal-YBCO interfaces. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 183, 109404.
[9] Acha, C., Barella, M., Sanca, G. A., Gomez Marlasca, F., Huhtinen, H., Paturi, P., ... & Golmar, F. (2020). YBCO-based non-volatile ReRAM tested in Low Earth Orbit. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, 31, 16389-16397.
[10] Barella, M., Sanca, G., Marlasca, F. G., Acevedo, W. R., Rubi, D., Inza, M. G., ... & Golmar, F. (2019). Studying ReRAM devices at low earth orbits using the labosat platform. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 154, 85-90.
[11] Villela, T., Costa, C. A., Brand?o, A. M., Bueno, F. T., & Leonardi, R. (2019). Towards the thousandth CubeSat: A statistical overview. International Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 2019.
[12] Bokil, H. (2020, April). COTS Semiconductor Components for the New Space Industry. In 2020 4th IEEE Electron Devices Technology & Manufacturing Conference (EDTM) (pp. 1-4). IEEE.
[13] Heiskanena, P., Gamalb, H., & Praksc, J. Mission Assurance in New Space-an Industrial Case Study.
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6 个月I hope I can provide you with the production and manufacturing of PCB and PCBA, and save you time and cost accounting.
Avionics Engineering Manager- Senior Spacecrafts Electronics design engineer chez Ispace Inc- My updates are my own
10 个月Thanks for sharing your thoughts Gabriel A. Sanca ,definetively is an interesting subject to expand #COTS and relevant for the new space race, most as these days with more a more new companies which are looking to join the challenge. In my view radiation is still the major factor to consider and even with COTS is something to keep always in the table in regards to reliability, other environmental factors (e.g. vacuum, temp range, vibrations) have been successfully covered by qualifications standards different than space standards, there are tons of information in the web, however for additional soft readings related to this topic i would like to recommend to the readers to have a look to some of the NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration and European Space Agency - ESA discussions in regards to COTS, https://nepp.nasa.gov/docs/etw/2021/17-JUN-21_Thur/1045_Nikulainen_Tonicello-Utilisation-of-COTS-in-ESA-Missions.pdf, and also here https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20220018183 , finally for companies looking to understand the current t status of cots and some references for different EEE components sharing suppliers and references, have a look of https://www.nasa.gov/smallsat-institute/sst-soa/
Principal Research Engineer, Telecommunications - Applied Research Technology with Collins Aerospace in Puerto Rico.
10 个月Congratulations!!