Large-Scale Commercial Space Development Makes Testing and Validation a Critical Foundation

In the landscape of global strategic competition, the aerospace industry—particularly the commercial space sector—has become a key strategic frontier that will shape future competitiveness. Driven by supportive policies, technological breakthroughs, and growing market demand, commercial space is rapidly evolving from a niche aspiration into a trillion-scale industry.

With years of expertise in the aerospace and commercial space sectors, NGI has developed an end-to-end testing solution covering primary power sources, power management, power conversion and distribution, and load systems. The solution is widely applicable to R&D and design, component testing, subsystem integration and debugging, complete system/satellite testing, production line testing, as well as on-orbit and in-service support, helping customers improve testing efficiency and shorten validation cycles.

Case 1: Power Controller Testing

Customer Background

Customer B plays a leading role in the space power industry and operates a national key laboratory for space power systems. The company is responsible for the research, design, and manufacturing of power systems for various aerospace platforms, including satellites, launch vehicles, crewed spacecraft, and tactical weapon systems.

Previous Testing Challenges

Previously, the customer purchased large quantities of physical batteries to perform functional and logic testing of power controllers, which resulted in the following issues:

• Long testing cycles: Batteries had to be fully charged or fully discharged before each test, a process that often required several hours.

• Poor consistency: Repeated battery cycling accelerated battery aging, while cell-to-cell variations affected data consistency during repeated validation tests.

• Safety risks: Testing required simulation of overcharge, over-discharge, and short-circuit conditions, exposing personnel and facilities to risks such as battery explosion, electrolyte leakage, and fire.

NGI Solution

Following multiple rounds of technical discussions, NGI provided the N35500 Series High-Performance High-Power Bidirectional Programmable DC Power Supply, N9000 Series Multi-channel Modular Measurement & Control Platform, and NXI Modular Instruments to simulate battery cell/pack voltage, State of Charge (SOC), battery pack temperature, and control signals.

High-Speed and Stable Output

The battery simulator delivers voltage rise times at the microsecond (μs) level, while the programmable DC power supply achieves millisecond (ms) level voltage rise times, enabling rapid testing and improving efficiency.

Accurate and Reliable Output

The battery simulator provides output accuracy of up to 0.1mV, ensuring highly accurate and repeatable results throughout repeated validation tests.

Multiple Protection Functions

Both the battery simulator and programmable DC power supply integrate OVP, OCP, OPP, OTP, and other protection functions. When test parameters exceed predefined safety limits, output is automatically disconnected to protect both the equipment and the testing environment.

Case 2: Space Environment Ground Simulation – Thermal Balance Test

Customer Background

Customer Y is a satellite manufacturer and satellite Internet solution provider. As one of the highest-valued unicorn companies in the commercial space industry, the company is dedicated to the independent development and low-cost mass production of communication payloads, core satellite electronics, and satellite platforms.

Testing Requirements

Thermal balance testing is a critical validation process used to verify spacecraft thermal design and thermal analysis models under simulated space environmental conditions while evaluating thermal control system performance.

During testing, infrared heating cages or heating lamps are typically powered to increase the temperature inside the vacuum chamber, while temperature sensors provide real-time monitoring and control.

The customer proposed the following requirements:

Multiple Power Supply Channels

A single vacuum chamber typically requires dozens to over one hundred heating power channels. For example, a Φ3 m vacuum chamber may require more than 120 channels.

Long-Term Stability

Each validation test lasts for more than ten days, requiring stable and continuous power output throughout the entire testing period.

Integrated Control Capability

The equipment must support remote control and standard communication protocols such as SCPI.

NGI Solution

After multiple rounds of technical discussions and prototype evaluations, NGI provided the N39400 Series High-accuracy Multi-channel Programmable DC Power Supply, N36200 Series Wide Range Programmable DC Power Supply, N36100 Series Wide-Range Programmable DC Power Supply, and NXI-6501-16 Thermocouple Temperature Acquisition Module to meet the customer's heating, temperature control, and open-loop/closed-loop control testing requirements.

High Channel Density

Each power supply integrates four output channels (4CH), replacing four individual power supplies while significantly reducing laboratory space requirements.

Long-Term Stable Operation

The power supplies provide stable output and support continuous long-duration operation without failure.

Integrated Control Capability

All power supplies support remote control and standard communication protocols including SCPI and Modbus RTU.

Case 3: High-Power Servo System Testing

Customer Background

Customer H specializes in commercial satellite launch services and space transportation. The company is committed to developing low-cost, high-frequency, large-scale launch capabilities, with an annual production capacity of 20 medium-lift launch vehicles and an expected annual output value exceeding RMB 3 billion.

Testing Requirements

High-power servo systems are widely used in motion control, rotary table/servo actuator drive systems, and testing fixture actuators.

During operating conditions such as startup, shutdown, acceleration, deceleration, direction reversal, and locking, the system experiences significant transient inrush currents, rapid dynamic power fluctuations, and regenerative energy feedback. Without adequate protection, these conditions may interrupt testing or even damage equipment.

The customer required:

High-Voltage Power Supply with Regenerative Energy Absorption

The servo motor operates at 270V, while regenerative energy feedback can generate peak voltages up to 540V. The power supply must be capable of safely absorbing high-voltage regenerative energy.

Continuous Pulse Simulation

The system must simulate 200 ms pulses repeated continuously for 10 cycles to verify motor stability under voltage sag conditions.

Auxiliary Equipment Power Supply

The solution must also provide 80V/5kW power for auxiliary equipment, including controllers, instruments, valves, and temperature control devices.

NGI Solution

Following in-depth technical discussions and prototype evaluation, the customer selected the N35500 Series High Power Programmable Bidirectional DC Power Supply together with the N36200 Series Wide Range Programmable DC Power Supply to address high-power supply, regenerative energy absorption, and pulse-condition testing requirements.

Integrated Source and Load with Energy Regeneration

The 750V bidirectional DC power supply can withstand 540V regenerative peak voltage while feeding recovered energy back to the utility grid, protecting the test equipment and improving energy efficiency.

Sequence (SEQ) Mode

The power supply supports SEQ sequence editing, allowing users to import predefined sequence files to simulate 200ms pulses repeated 10 times, as well as other complex voltage variation profiles.

Complete Wide Range Power Supply Portfolio

NGI provides programmable DC power supplies covering voltage ranges from 0 to kV and power ranges from 0 to MW, enabling customers to meet diverse power supply requirements across a wide variety of application scenarios.