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Satellites help us connect the world together. They drive global communications, support vital Earth observation, relay discoveries from the farthest reaches of space, and power countless applications that shape our everyday lives. To handle these important jobs, satellites need to be engineered for both robustness and relentless reliability.
In satellite systems, every thruster burn, attitude adjustment, and orbital maneuver depends on fluid control systems and components that must operate flawlessly across a wide range of environmental conditions. For the engineers tasked with designing these complex systems, reliability is a key metric that impacts both immediate performance and long-term mission success.
Whether you’re designing a mega-constellation or simply expanding your knowledge, this article explores how fluid control components play a critical role in ensuring satellite reliability in orbit.
Satellites are complicated machines with many interdependent systems that all need to work together with minimal human intervention to achieve mission success. While engineers strive for system reliability through redundancy, certain components are inherently mission-critical in nature – and perform perfectly every time.
According to a NASA study, 41% of all small satellites launched between the years 2000 and 2016 failed or partially failed[1]. The cost of failure is steep. And as the number of satellites in orbit increases, so too does the risk.
It can cost upwards of $500,000 to build a high-volume satellite, with an additional $500,000 required to launch it into space [2]. When something malfunctions, the entire mission – and millions of dollars – can potentially be lost. These mission derailments can be especially devastating for New Space companies, who are trying to balance risk and speed in order to achieve performance milestones before funding runs out.
With the stakes higher than ever, reliability has become the linchpin of success for modern satellite operations.
Supply chain continuity and speed are increasingly critical in the satellite industry, where delays or disruptions can jeopardize mission timelines and system reliability. When components are sourced quickly and consistently from trusted suppliers, manufacturers can accelerate development cycles, reduce risk, and build systems with proven, dependable parts.
It’s simple…reliable components lead to more dependable satellites.
Building your systems with flight-proven products can help you:
Engineers can minimize failure risks in their design – and maintain mission continuity across the satellite’s operational life – by incorporating components that have been tested for the rigors of spaceflight and are backed by a supply chain built for speed and reliability.
With over 75 years of engineering expertise and a deep heritage supporting space, we provide fluid control solutions built to perform when (and where) it matters most.
We’ve delivered over half a million certified parts to support space missions around the globe. Lee components are designed to endure – handling mission-critical cycles from launch to orbit and beyond. All parts are 100% functionally tested under a rigorous aerospace quality management system (AS9100) and our comprehensive development and revalidation procedures ensure they meet the highest reliability standards for spaceflight.
Whether you’re an industry mainstay or New Space start-up, we’re ready when you are. Explore the most reliable fluid control in the galaxy or contact a Lee Sales Engineer today.
CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE THE MOST RELIABLE FLUID CONTROL IN THE GALAXY
Sources:
Always verify flow calculations by experiment.
*There are many parameters to consider when determining V-Factor. Click here for more information.
