At the 1st Space Microwave Week conference in the Netherlands, the successful development of DSSPA modules for the Spainsat NG satellite program was presented in early May 2023. In the realization phase, Electrovac Hermetic Packages was and is an essential building block to ensure the durability of the electronics in the hermetically sealed housings in the satellites with appropriate robustness.
The challenges were in the selection of materials and the development of a robust connection process to hermetically integrate the Full Detent SMT connectors and an optimized 16-pin Micro-D connector in gold-plated aluminum housings. For this purpose, complex qualification processes had to be passed in order to prove the specification requirements and to guarantee the robustness.
Essential requirements, which had to be fulfilled:
- High flatness requirements, low tolerances on housing dimensions and precise alignment of the bonding areas.
- Gold-free areas for the subsequent laser welding process
- Conformity to a wide range of specifications:
- GTMS: JEDEC Standard No.9C
- Micro-D: MIL-DTL-83513
- SMT: MIL-STD-348 / MIL-PRF-39012
- Soldering: ECSS-Q-ST-70-08C
- Hermeticity after severe thermal stress
- MIL-STD-883 Method 1011, Cond.B, 30 Cycles
- MIL-STD-883 Method 1010, Cond.B, 200 cycles
In the meantime the FM’s (Flying Modules), with which 2 satellites will be equipped, have been delivered to the customer and the assembly has started. The launch of the satellites is planned for 2024. More information about the release can be found here:
> https://www.electrovac.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/02.-FP_Rubio_Cidre-Gorka.pdf