Application specific spacecraft

Describes the design of a small satellite, named Innovative Modular Satellite (IMS), which resulted from a study conducted by MSS Ltd for the European Space Agency (ESA). The unique feature of the IMS system architecture is the collection of all service control functions within a single subsystem, the control subsystem, rather than the conventional architecture where control is spread throughout all the subsystems. This has advantages in that duplication of hardware is avoided and the overall control complexity is minimised with a consequent improvement in reliability and a reduction in software cost. This approach is facilitated on the IMS by the centralisation of most of the onboard service electronics in a single Service Electronics Rack (SER) and the intention to adopt a single source procurement philosophy at electrical system level