Design and analysis of EPS housing and circuit boards for PANSAT

Abstract

PANSAT, the Petite Amateur Navy Satellite, is a small spacecraft being built at the Naval Postgraduate School. The electrical power subsystem (EPS) contains two circuit boards which act as an interface between the EPS and other subsystems, receiving and distributing electrical power. This thesis covers the design and analysis of the housing for the two circuit boards and the circuit boards themselves. The structures were analyzed for strength and frequency response using classical methods and computer based finite element models (FEM). With the addition of a stiffener to decrease the deflection of the circuit boards during vibration all structures appear to meet launch load specifications in the Space Shuttle. The thesis concludes with a discussion of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) issues and how to deal with them. (AN)