Exomars 2016 Mission Electrical Power System

ExoMars is the first step of the European Space Agency’s Aurora Exploration Programme. Comprising two missions [ 1], the first one launched in 2016 and the second one to be launched in 2020, ExoMars is a joint ESA-Roscosmos program that will address the scientific question of whether life ever existed on Mars and demonstrate key technologies for entry, descent, landing, drilling and roving on the Martian surface [ 2]. The Spacecraft Composite (SCC), consisting of a Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and an EDL (Entry Descend and Landing) Demonstrator Module (EDM) named Schiaparelli, has been launched on 14 March 2016 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by a Proton Launcher. The two modules will separate on 16 October 2016 after a seventh-months cruise. The TGO will search for evidence of methane and other atmospheric gases that could be signatures of active biological or geological processes on Mars and will provide communications relay for the 2020 mission surface assets. The Schiaparelli module will prove the technologies required to safely land a payload on the surface of Mars, with a package of sensors aimed to support the reconstruction of the flown trajectory and the assessment of the performance of the EDL subsystems. Following separation, the EDM will undergo a threedays coasting phase to reach the Mars atmospheric Entry Interface Point, complete the Entry Descent and Landing phases in six minutes and perform surface science operations for a duration of up to four Martian sols, with data transmission to TGO and to other ESA and NASA orbiters. This paper outlines the Exomars 2016 Electrical Power System (EPS) design, providing a description of the major design drivers and resulting configuration, with a view to highlight aspects that could be considered for future designs