Page 7 - 2021 High-Reliability, Harsh Environment Connectivity eBook

Trends Affecting Interconnect Solutions for Space
Pierre-Yves Mikus, PhD, R&D Manager;
Gilles Rouchaud, Aerospace Development Manufacturing Manager; Christophe Tisserand, Sales Manager; and
Sandrine Hermant, Project Marketing Manager, Axon’ Cable
In recent years, the space industry has undergone some amazing changes. Due to the ever-increasing need for data, traditional space market applications now require state-of-the-art connectivity technologies that can cope with the challenges of this extreme environment.
The space industry has always needed rugged, high-reliability interconnect solutions capable of high-data-rate transmission and resisting the stresses of launch and the rigors of harsh space environments. But now it tends to require higher frequencies as well. For instance, satellite applications that used to rely on C- and X-band frequencies are now targeting V-band frequencies, which start at 40GHz and extend up to 75GHz, in addition to higher data rates (10+Gb/s), while still optimizing designs for weight and dimensions (e.g., by replacing D-Subs with Micro-D connectors).
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» Up to twice as light as equivalent products, this ESA-approved microwave cable assembly from Axon’ cable achieves excellent electrical characteristics and is ideal for use in telecom satellite antennae operating at Q-band frequencies (36–46GHz as defined by the ISO).
In addition to these traditional requirements, new players in the space market have added important new considerations, including the need for more cost-effective solutions and the capacity to produce at high volumes, just like in the avionics market. The majority of these new space projects are designed for low-Earth orbit (LEO), a range spanning 160–2,000km, and thus don’t have the same constraints as geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) applications (35,786+km).
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