Institute of High Current Electronics Uses Apps for Satellite Design

Vasily Kozhevnikov, Institute of High Current Electronics, Russia

Space is the epitome of an unpredictable and harsh environment. These conditions are near impossible to replicate via experimentation, making it exceedingly difficult to study the behavior of space-borne devices. To circumvent this issue, numerical simulation is often employed to reproduce the full range of operating parameters that exist in orbit. At the Institute of High Current Electronics, engineers are working to develop diagnostic simulations that help decrease the likelihood of electrical arc discharges destroying their electronics. They created a simulation app with the Application Builder in COMSOL Multiphysics® that identifies critical regions for the occurrence of these discharges.