COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Frontgrade Technologies, a provider of mission-critical electronics for aerospace and defense applications, successfully tested its Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based DC-DC converter and complementary electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter, the company said in a release.
The tests are said to validate the ability of the devices to meet the demanding performance requirements of space missions from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) through Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO).
Frontgrade stated in the release that the tests were performed in accordance with the Defense Logistics Agency’s MIL-STD-883 Test Methods, which included External Visual (2009), Internal Visual and Mechanical (2014), Temperature Cycling (1010), Constant Acceleration (2001), Random Vibration (2026), End-Point Electrical (in accordance with device specification), and Life Test (2009).
Frontgrade is pursuing MIL-PRF-38534 Class L qualification with the Defense Logistics Agency, and QML approval is currently pending, the company said.
According to Frontgrade, its 28V GaN DC-DC Converter leverages advanced GaN FET technology to offer 93 percent efficiency, providing spacecraft designers with “one of the most efficient power conversion solutions available today.” With faster switching, improved performance, and a small-volume design, it is said to respond rapidly to dynamic power demands and provide multiple voltage outputs for maximum flexibility.
“The device is designed to convert power seamlessly from the bus to the point of load, ensuring optimal performance for current and future space applications,” the release said.
“Our GaN converter has undergone rigorous testing, demonstrating its reliability in addressing the critical power management needs of next-generation satellites,” said Lorne Graves, chief technology officer at Frontgrade Technologies, in the release. “With Frontgrade’s flight-ready modules and evaluation test boards, our customers can accelerate their development cycles to achieve on-time mission success.”
The availability of the flight and engineering modules and evaluation test boards is key because they provide “the essential tools for development, testing, and deployment in mission-critical spacecraft systems,” according to the release.
Frontgrade Technologies provides high-reliability, radiation-hardened (rad-hard) electronics for defense, intelligence, commercial, and civil applications. The company said it offers a complementary and integrated suite of mission critical electronics. Among its key products are rad-hard components, mission processing subsystems, high power amplifiers, custom ASICs, motion control systems, waveguides, antennas, and power management solutions.