High-reliability space power converters: design and analysis issues

Design and analysis issues for high reliability space power converters are addressed. Several analysis packages are essential part of high-reliability design as required per subcontractor´s data requirements list (SDRL). Concepts and approaches to derating (electrical stress), radiation, worst-case circuit performance, reliability, and failure modes, effects and criticality analyses typically performed by an electrical engineer are presented herein. Relationship of electrical analysis to thermal analysis is clearly pointed out. The use of MIL-STD and MIL-HDBK documents for electrical analysis is also addressed.