Technologies for affordable SEC missions

The influence of technology in reducing spacecraft costs was evaluated by analyzing historical trend data for spacecraft subsystems. The analysis is based on several dozen spacecraft and leads to the conclusion that, on average, the use of technologies that reduce spacecraft power as well as reduce spacecraft mass and cost. These conclusions are particularly important for NASA's Sun Earth connection (SEC) missions where 43,300 kg is projected to be launched over a 19-year period. An example is given where the use of ultra-low power electronics in spacecraft subsystems significantly reduces spacecraft costs by permitting smaller and cheaper subsystems.