Before launching a satellite into space, engineers need to check how its electronics will work in orbit. But using real space panels for such tests is difficult, expensive, and inconvenient. Therefore, Novosibirsk State Technical University (NGTU) has developed a special device that can simulate the operation of solar panels right on Earth.
The new device simulates the operation of solar panels as if the satellite were already in orbit. During ground tests, the device replaces real space panels and supplies power to the spacecraft's systems.
According to developer Sergey Velikher, the development is an important part of the satellite's power supply system and is as effective as its main imported counterpart. The device weighs almost 30 kilograms, and its specific power is 142 W per kilogram.
The development was created as part of an NGTU project on a satellite power supply system for initial testing of supply and navigation systems. The prototype has already been tested at the NGTU Institute of Power Electronics: the device showed stable operation in all main modes of solar panel simulation – short circuit, open circuit, and maximum power.
According to the developers, the device's characteristics are not inferior to its imported counterpart. In the future, specialists plan to improve the operation of the simulator modules and optimize emergency modes.
