---
title: "NASA State of the Art Report: Small Spacecraft Technology (NASA 2024)"
id: 71834
type: "post"
slug: "nasa-state-of-the-art-report-small-spacecraft-technology-nasa-2024"
author: "NSE"
published: "2024-02-26T05:00:00+00:00"
modified: "2024-02-24T09:46:16+00:00"
canonical: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2024/02/26/nasa-state-of-the-art-report-small-spacecraft-technology-nasa-2024/"
markdown_url: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2024/02/26/nasa-state-of-the-art-report-small-spacecraft-technology-nasa-2024.md"
description: "The report provides an overview of current technologies and development status for various small spacecraft subsystems, with a focus on components and systems…"
language: "en-US"
category:
  - "Space Economy"
  - "Space Technology"
post_tag:
  - "Attitude Control"
  - "Electric Propulsion"
  - "Materials"
  - "NASA"
  - "Navigation"
  - "Sensors"
  - "Smallsats"
  - "Spacecraft"
---

# NASA State of the Art Report: Small Spacecraft Technology (NASA 2024)

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/soa-report-2023-005-1.jpg?resize=696%2C928&ssl=1)

[Download](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/soa-report-2023.pdf)

## Synopsis

The report provides an overview of current technologies and development status for various small spacecraft subsystems, with a focus on components and systems that have achieved Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 or higher.

Power Systems

- Solar cells: Multi-junction III-V semiconductor solar cells with efficiencies over 32% are state-of-the-art. Triple junction cells offer a good efficiency/cost ratio.
- Solar panels: Rigid deployable and body mounted panels available. Specific power up to 165 W/kg. Peak power ranges from 2W (1U face) to 179W.
- Batteries: Lithium-ion and lithium polymer secondary batteries widely used. Energy densities up to 265 Wh/kg. Carbon-based anodes can provide fast charging and high cycle life.
- Power management: Modular electronic power systems with peak power tracking, battery charging, voltage regulation. Power ranges from 1-500W.

Propulsion

- Chemical thrusters with green propellants, microresistojet thrusters, pulsed plasma thrusters, and water electrolysis thrusters discussed.
- Electric propulsion options cover Hall effect thrusters, ion engines, pulsed inductive thrusters and more.
- Propellantless systems like electrodynamic tethers and solar sails also overviewed.

Guidance, Navigation and Control

- COTS star trackers, sun sensors, IMUs, magnetometers commonly used.
- Reaction/momentum wheels and control moment gyros from 0.04-45 Nms capability.
- Thrusters (chemical and electric) also used for attitude control.

Structures, Materials and Mechanisms

- Materials like aluminum, titanium, polymers, and composites used.
- Deployment mechanisms using shape memory alloys, Frangibolts.
- Structural performance from femto/picosats to ESPA-class smallsats covered.

Thermal Control

- Multi-layer insulation, optical coatings, heaters, heat pipes, loop heat pipes, thermal straps.
- Active systems use electrical heaters, thermoelectric coolers, and fluid loops.

Avionics

- On-board computers with processors from ARM Cortex-M0 to M7, PowerPC, LEON3-FT and RAD750.
- FPGAs from Xilinx, Microsemi and Intel (formerly Altera).
- Memory options include MRAM, FRAM, NAND/NOR flash, SD/microSD cards.

Communications

- S-band transmitters and transceivers available at all power levels and data rates.
- X-band becoming more popular for high data rate needs.
- Optical comm with data rates over 200 Mbps demonstrated on orbit.

The report covers additional subsystems like software, ground systems, launch and deployment, tracking, and deorbit systems. It provides a good overview of the current state of small spacecraft technologies.