摘要 |
A satellite assembly (60, 68, 70) is formed from any number of bus modules (22) which have a substantially common shape and interior space volume. Each bus module (22) includes a structural frame (20) which is part of a structural subsystem and at least one and possibly all of a propulsion subsystem (28), a power subsystem (30), a thermal subsystem (32), an attitude, orientation and control subsystem (34), a telemetry, tracking and control subsystem (42) and a payload subsystem (44). Within each bus module (22), the subsystems are substantially non-redundant. Bus modules (22) attach together permanently or temporarily through attachment mechanisms (36). Permanent attachment is used to form large and/or redundancy within the satellites. Temporary attachment is used to increase the structural rigidity of individual bus modules (22) for launch purposes, then the assembly (60) is decomposed into individual satellites.
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