Designs and technologies for future planetary power systems

Planetary missions place unique demands on spacecraft systems and operations in terms of lifetime and autonomous operation. at the same time, the new faster better, cheaper environment requires more technological innovation than ever before to enable us to continue to explore the planets with the same successes that we have enjoyed in the past. This article discusses new electric power system design and component technologies that provide the basis for planetary exploration in the late 1990s and far beyond, especially for small spacecraft, Power technologies for the New Millennium spacecraft series are presented, me discuss new concepts in power management and distribution technology, followed by an assessment of the status of photovoltaic and nuclear power source technologies, and we conclude with a discussion of advanced battery technologies for small spacecraft.