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Drive Electronics for Satellite Mechanism Management

Drive electronics for high-performance and reliable satellite mechanism management, trusted by leading satellite manufacturers and operators around the world.

Wolfgang Mayer Sales Manager

Beyond Gravity is a leading provider of advanced electronic solutions for satellite mechanism management. Our products are designed to operate a variety of mechanisms with optimum pointing performance and reliability. We offer a wide range of standalone drive electronics, as well as integrated motor control solutions for onboard computers.

Our solutions are trusted by leading satellite manufacturers and operators around the world. We are committed to delivering solutions that meet the stringent requirements of our customers, even in the most demanding environments.

Stand-Alone Drive Electronics

Our product portfolio includes a range of high-performance standalone drive electronics, the preferred choice for operating various types of satellite mechanisms such as solar array drives, antenna pointing systems, and thruster pointing assemblies.

  • The Multi-Purpose Drive Electronics (MPDE) is a generic two-axes stepper motor controller optimized for high performance and smooth mechanical operation in demanding satellite applications. It is compatible with a wide range of actuators and available for different power bus voltages, making it a versatile and flexible solution.
  • For simpler control applications in the commercial telecom segment, we offer the Core Drive Electronics (CODE), a smaller and more cost-effective two-axes stepper motor controller. It is a compact and lightweight unit, offering a flexible and cost-efficient solution for small satellite applications.

 

Explore the capabilities of the Multi-Purpose Drive Electronics (MPDE) and the Core Drive Electronics (CODE).

MPDE Vertical

Multi-Purpose Drive Electronics (MPDE)

The Multi-Purpose Drive Electronics (MPDE) is a versatile two-axes stepper motor controller designed for high performance and smooth mechanical operation in satellite applications. It is capable of operating various types of mechanisms such as antenna pointing mechanisms, solar arrays, or thruster pointing mechanisms.

Optimized for low micro-vibration operation, the MPDE is compatible with a wide range of actuators and available for different power bus voltages. This makes it a flexible solution for diverse satellite applications.

The MPDE comprises two electrically identical units intended for cold redundancy operation. Each unit features an isolated DC/DC converter and a control module, controlled via a MIL1553 TC/TM interface. This interface can be replaced to adapt to different satellite platform concepts, enhancing the flexibility of the MPDE.

The main feature of the MPDE is its high flexibility, large degree of autonomy, and high drive performance, accommodating a wide range of drive applications in satellites.

Download the datasheet on the MPDE
CODE Vertical

Core Drive Electronics (CODE)

The Core Drive Electronics (CODE) is a compact and lightweight two-axes stepper motor controller, optimized for small volume and low mass. It is capable of operating various types of mechanisms such as antenna pointing mechanisms, solar arrays, or thruster pointing mechanisms, making it a versatile and cost-effective solution for small satellite applications.

Manufactured in a modular way, the CODE allows for independent control of two bipolar stepper motors per module. Two modules can be stacked vertically to form a redundant unit or to increase the number of drive channels, offering flexibility in configuration. The modules are mechanically separated and operated in cold redundancy for enhanced reliability.

Each CODE module contains an isolated DC/DC converter with EMC filters, providing a protected, hardware-adjustable motor drive voltage. This ensures high operational reliability. Each of the two stepper motor interfaces has its own dedicated connector, housing the motor power signals and 7 additional mechanism signals.

These signals are directly routed to the common control connector and can be used for sensors (switches, thermistors) or heaters (up to 115V). The motor control is performed by receiving 3 discrete signals ENABLE/DIRECTION/STEP per motor on the common control connector.

Download the datasheet on the CODE

Integrated Drive Electronics

Beyond Gravity offers a wide range of integrated drive electronics (IDE) solutions for satellite mechanism management. Our IDEs are modular and part of a hosting unit such as an on-board computer system or remote interface unit. Dedicated I/O cards are integrated into these computers.

Learn more about our Computer and Data Handling Systems