A nanosatellite called ANGELS was developed by CNES. The parts procurement policy of this project will be presented. The confidence in the commercial parts of this project is based on 3 pillars: a careful selection, radiation tests and reliability tests at board level. This approach will be presented.

This presentation will highlight the interest to use COTS for defence, describe some of the specificities and challenges associated with the introduction of COTS in military equipment and conclude with some recommendations and roadmap to support European non-dependence on COTS for defence and Space.

As an annual conference it serves as an exchange platform in Germany for demand and availability of EEE-components, new technologies for future applications, status of ongoing national development and qualification programmes, information of planned activities, information of national funding opportunities and updates on ESCC and ECSS with support of ESA.

The use of Cubesats is growing. This is mainly due to the need for low-cost communications satellites, new business evolving around earth observation services, and so on. These drive the need for new product solutions for smaller, lighter, and lower cost spacecraft for which DLA’s radiation hardness assured space-grade parts are often an overkill. Furthermore, there is a continuing need to infuse new technology into the QML system. This talk will describe the approaches taken to address these issues and develop standard parts for new missions.

The main barrier to implementing a new methodology for using COTS in space applications is Resistance to Change. Overcoming barriers and debunking well rooted myths, instead of resisting a change, are the way to a proper practical solution to meet present and future requirements. The present space official policies are still penalising the use of COTS, referring to them as “last resort”. The market share of the military/space grade components has decreased to less than 0.3% (in $), questioning the components availability. The only thing certain about the availability security of the military/space EEE components is uncertainty.

In response to the rapid increase in interest in the use of small satellites, for different types of mission in low earth and interplanetary orbits, the Italian Space Agency have supported a line of national technological developments to allow the realization of a new generation of small, modular and multi platforms mission. These initiatives are devoted to be internationally competitive and to offer an excellent opportunity to test new Italian technologies. Currently estimation is that 20% EEE components in ESA satellites are COTS. No longer a decision if COTS components are needed, but more, how to use them in an appropriate manner according to the mission profile in terms of: Safety, Reliability and Availability. However, main Technology Concerns are related to: Tin whiskers, lead free, Cu wire, Risk Management, Reliability prediction, Derating.

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