A Satellite Traced Part by Part
Where does each part of a typical low-orbit satellite come from, and which ones decide when it can fly?
Chapter summary
tracing Setcoin's reference satellite (about 300 kg, 3 kW, five to seven years in low orbit) part by part shows that roughly two-thirds of its parts by count are routine and available within six months, but a handful decide the schedule: power switchgear and distribution (up to two years), rad-hard processors if the mission needs them (one to two years), optical terminals if fitted (more than a year), III-V solar cells (a year or more) and, outside the satellite, a launch slot.
Key takeaways
- 1
Four of those five have three or fewer qualified suppliers for a typical buyer, and two depend on minerals refined mostly in China.
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Method: from Bill of Materials to Bottleneck Score
Next →The Supply Chain in Tiers: Primes, Subsystems, Parts and Materials
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