Power system consumption model using SPICE

Space missions have very stringent mass, volume and also power budgets. This requires very precise knowledge of the power consumption of the whole satellite, not only peak power but also static and long term dynamic power. This calculation becomes very complex if all the operational modes (long term dynamic changes) are taken into account, including the different environmental situations. The power budget of any Power Converter Module (PCM), which includes not only the DC/DC converter but also the distribution unit, depends on the power it delivers and on external factors like temperature and input voltage. We propose to use a linear SPICE model using electronic models of discrete components to reach a high precision model of the power consumption of the PCM. The model has to be complex enough to achieve good precision, but also simple enough to simulate in a short time.