FARNBOROUGH, England, 14 July 2014. Crane Aerospace & Electronics won a multi-million-dollar contract from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., to supply power converters for the Mars 2020 mission.
JPL will use a variety of space DC-DC converters and filters including the SMRT product, which provides a built-in EMI filter, independent outputs, and the ability to adjust the output voltage. Other models to be used include SLH, SMSA, SMHF, SMTR, and SMFL, as well as three different EMI filter models.
The previous Mars rovers Opportunity, Spirit, and Curiosity have all used Interpoint space-qualified dc-dc converters. Interpoint converters are available with a variety of screening options up to MIL-PRF-38534 Class K and a variety of radiation-hardness assurance (RHA) options up to RHA R, 100 krad(Si) at both high- and low-dose rates.
“We are very pleased with this contract selection and proud of our proven heritage on previous Mars missions,” says Ed Fuhr, vice president of Power Solutions.
JPL manages the Mars 2020 Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA. The 2020 mission will build on the achievements of Curiosity and other Mars missions, and offer opportunities to deploy new capabilities developed through investments by NASA's Space Technology Program, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, and contributions from international partners.
