Electrical Connector Design Considerations for LEO Satellites

Space really is a new frontier and like all pioneers who bravely forge the first pathways, those who venture there must
continuously adapt and innovate to overcome unfamiliar challenges. The vast majority of satellites launched, whatever their size, are intended to operate in a low earth orbit (LEO). Some now even orbit Mars. The point here is that while they are not contending with the harshness of deep space, they are still exposed to an environment unlike any on the surface. An object in LEO makes in excess of 11,000 orbits of Earth per day, in conditions that would challenge any object.

Despite this, many components used in LEO satellites are off-the-shelf commodities. They are protected from the extremes of space through careful design, but there are some conditions that will present specific challenges, and these must be taken into account when selecting components.