Buck Converter and SEPIC Based Electronic Power Supply Design with MPPT and Voltage Regulation for Small Satellite Applications

This paper presents the proposed power distribution system designed for the power management of the Puerto Rico CubeSat. Power is provided to the CubeSat using Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) solar panels mounted on each side of the satellite. It is vital to maximize the available electrical energy obtained from the minimal solar cell area available. SEPIC topology performs the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) to extract the utmost available power from the solar panels. The Buck converter is used to provide voltage regulation for the CubeSat payloads. The power distribution for the CubeSat is designed for higher efficiency, utilizing high-performance GaAs solar panels and DC/DC converters in combination with a MPPT technique to improve the power extraction and further increase efficiency.