Space Passive Components: Commercial Vs. COTS+ Vs. Qualified For Future Space Commercialization.pdf

Written for ESA's 2nd SPCD symposium, its aim is to spark an open debate among industry stakeholders regarding selection strategies for space-bound passive components.

Key Points:

Industry Evolution: The electrical industry has passed through four distinct eras, from pioneers (1800s-1920s) and military/state-driven development (20th century), to enterprise automation and individual consumer dominance (1970s-present). This shift has significantly impacted the space industry's influence on component market trends.
Space Passive Components Market: While representing a smaller segment, the space-based passive components market is experiencing rapid growth due to space commercialization. Government spending has increased by 176% in the past decade, while the commercial sector now rivals government demand.
Passive Component Development: Historically, research and development for active components received most funding, leaving passive component advancement largely driven by private companies focusing on pragmatic solutions to meet specific market needs. This trend has contributed to a shift in manufacturing outside of Europe and the USA due to cost pressures.

Comparison:

Commercial/Automotive Parts: These are readily available, cost-effective, but may lack stringent quality control and space-specific reliability testing.
COTS+ Components: Offer improved performance over commercial parts, often with enhanced temperature tolerance and radiation hardness, but come at a higher price point.
Qualified Passive Components: Designed and tested to rigorous standards for space applications, ensuring high reliability in extreme conditions, but are the most expensive option.

Recommendations for Future Selection:

The paper concludes by suggesting a multi-faceted approach to selecting passive components for space:

Thorough Risk Assessment: Evaluate mission criticality, component location, and potential failure consequences.
Cost vs. Performance Tradeoff: Consider both initial cost and long-term operational expenses (reliability, maintenance).
Supplier Collaboration: Engage with manufacturers to understand capabilities, limitations, and potential for customization.
Standardization and Certification: Leverage existing standards and certification programs to streamline qualification processes.