ESA's Advanced Microsatellite Mission (AMM) study

The Advanced Microsatellite Mission (AMM) study looks at the technology required for the next generation of microsatellites, following on from current microsatellites such as PROBA (Project for On-Board Autonomy). The study aims specifically to address four important aspects: the fraction of satellite mass that is available to the payload, the power available, the thermal environment, and the services provided by the platform. The AMM spacecraft concept has the following features: deployed solar arrays providing over 200W for the payload, propulsion in the form of FEEP (Field Emission Electric Propulsion) for orbit manoeuvres, Ka-band data downlink for downlink rates up to 100 Mbps and a modular and scaleable avionics architecture suitable for a variety of mission needs. (C) 2003 Astrium Ltd, Published by Elsevier Ltd. All Rights Reserved.