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Electronic Design and Fabrication
Michigan Aerospace Corporation has developed electronic design and fabrication capabilities in
response to our need for custom electronic solutions for spacecraft, aircraft and ground-based instrumentation.
Present capabilities include analysis, simulation, design and fabrication of analog and digital circuits. Particular
areas of expertise are in the areas of capacitive feedback measurement systems, piezo-electric drive circuits,
telemetry systems, and microprocessor controlled (embedded) systems. We have developed embedded systems for a variety
of applications, including:
- Microcontroller-based piezo controllers (for example, to adjust spacing and alignment of etalon plates
- Robotic elements
- Thermal control systems
- Systems based on programmable logic controllers (PLCs), sometimes with graphical user interfaces
Michigan Aerospace personnel have designed and built electronics for a variety of environments,
including for aircraft and spacecraft. The Robot Operated Materials Processing System (ROMPS) flew on STS-64. We
developed electronics for the Automated Wafer Cartridge System (AWCS), which was intended for the shuttle-borne
Wake Shield Facility (WSF). Also, Michigan Aerospace personnel designed and built avionics for JPL’s Alkali
Metal Thermal-to-Electric Converter (AMTEC) experiment, which was intended as a shuttle-flown demonstration of a
power-generation system of greater efficiency than present radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs).
We have delivered solutions ranging from simple PC data systems that measure voltage, current,
pressure, and temperature, to mobile trailer mounted instruments, all the way up to fully-integrated, turn-key
building-level systems, like the GroundWinds facilities in New Hampshire and Mauna Loa, Hawaii. These systems can
also be designed for remote operation over the Internet.
We use tools such as Orcad Schematic capture, Ultiboard PCB layout, Electronics Workbench (a SPICE simulation
tool) and MATLAB and IDL for system simulation. Additional analysis is performed using COSMOS and NASTRAN for thermal
and mechanical studies.
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Interferometer assembly with its associated electronics, now operating as part
of the GroundWinds system in Hawaii
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A mounted etalon with wires that lead to the control system; the inset is a close-up of wires leading to one of the piezo adjusters.
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Several custom controller boards fabricated by Michigan Aerospace for the etalon above.
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A single etalon controller (piezo actuator) control board.
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AMTEC/AWCS hardware for a Space Shuttle Hitchhiker Get Away Special experiment during integration and test.
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Interface board for the AMTEC/AWCS experiments.
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Motion motor driver assembly for the AWCS payload.
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Two views of the robot assembly for the AWCS system.
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Experiment control system for ROMPS.
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Two views of the flight electronics for the Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (ARD) program,
the predecessor to Michigan Aerospace’s Autonomous Satellite Docking System (ASDS).
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