The Spacecraft Bus for Webb

While telescopes and science instruments often grab headlines when spacecraft are launched, it is actually the bus that keeps it in orbit. Northrop Grumman mechanical design team employed creative design thinking techniques to construct Webb’s bus. Rocket Lab’s small satellite bus solutions – Lightning and MAC-200 – are agile and versatile, featuring flight proven redundancies…

What is a Spacecraft Bus?

Spacecraft buses or satellite platforms form the core of satellites, handling essential functions like power, propulsion, communication and attitude control. The Webb telescope’s Spacecraft Bus was an octagonal structure constructed to house its engineering subsystems. Powered by software commands sent from Earth via radio signals, its main purpose was to perform multiple functions for operations…

The Spacecraft Bus

The spacecraft bus serves as the primary system that supports all other spacecraft hardware. Designed to accomodate various mission specific payloads with high reliability, this structure supports all other spacecraft hardware. MagicBus platform currently enjoys flight heritage on several small satellite missions and has demonstrated multi-mission adaptability. Its modular design features lower part count and…

The Spacecraft Bus

A spacecraft bus serves as the main structure and support mechanism for satellite payloads, providing power, commanding, telemetry and an appropriate thermal environment. Spacecraft buses or platforms designed with sophisticated capabilities have enabled the deployment of more powerful communications antennas, high resolution remote sensing/meteorological sensors, and precise navigational payloads. Structures and Mechanics Subsystem A spacecraft…