The resulting advanced power supply and distribution hardware for COLUMBUS elements is not designed and developed yet, but in a series of studies, AEG intensively investigated related techniques and technologies. These activities were strongly supported by comprehensive hardware experience from Spacelab, EURECA, Space Telescope and other projects. Subject of this paper is to present the results obtained so far. 2. Architecture Related Topics 2.1 Requirements and Technical Objectives When defining the Electrical Power System (EPS) for COLUMBUS, a series of stringent requirements have to be taken into account: • increased power levels; growth potential; accommodation of changing technologies; • low earth orbit environment (large number of cycles; atomic oxygen etc.); • maintainability, i.e. implementation of orbit replaceable unit (ORU) concept; • commonality; • autonomy, i.e. reduced dependence on ground stations, functional independence from the on-board data management system. These requirements are to be seen in conjunction with the COLUMBUS IOC scenario (initial operational capability). According to the present IOC scenario, the EPS must be designed for three major applications: • Power generation and distribution for the Platform (PF) for polar- and coorbiting missions. 8 kW shall be supplied continuously throughout sun and shadow phases to subsystems and payloads. • Power distribution for the Pressurized Module (PM) when it is integrated with or attached to the US Space Station (USSS). The power distribution capability shall be 30 kW. • Power generation and distribution for the man-tended free-flier consisting of Resource Module (RM) and a two segment PM. Considered power levels are roughly in the same range as for the PF. The particular goal for the designing engineers is to conceive the EPS in such a way that the same equipment and hardware base can be used for all COLUMBUS elements. This is an important part of the AEG's cross-element task. In addition to these basic requirements consideration is to be given to top-level operational objectives: • Astronaut involvement in the EPS control process shall be kept to an absolute minimum such that more time for utilization related tasks is available. • Dependence on ground stations is to be reduced in order to alleviate ground support requirements and thereby reduce overall operational costs. • In view of the important role which the power interface plays in the frame of the services offered to the user community, a high quality standard and as much flexibility as possible are to be provided in this area. Such features can be realized only when a certain potential of automation is introduced in the EPS. Evidently this potential grows with increasing size and complexity of the EPS.
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