Case Study: Lockheed Martin Space Systems achieves two-thirds reduction in Orion power-system development time with MathWorks Simulink and Simscape Electrical

Lockheed Martin Simulates Orion Spacecraft Missions Using a Multidomain Power System Model

Lockheed Martin Space Systems faced the challenge of accurately simulating the Orion spacecraft’s power generation, storage, and distribution for long-duration missions after its prior Excel/VBA single-node model became slow, unstable, and unable to capture voltage drops or power-quality effects. To create a visual, multinode model usable for mission-level simulations and fault analysis that NASA engineers could inspect without digging into low-level code, the team turned to MathWorks tools including Simulink, Simscape, Simscape Electrical, and MATLAB.

Using MathWorks’ Simulink and Simscape Electrical (with custom components written in the Simscape language), Lockheed Martin built an integrated multinode power model featuring a custom solar‑cell model, lithium‑ion battery model, and variable load blocks, then ran mission profiles and fault scenarios and postprocessed results with MATLAB. The MathWorks solution cut development time by about two‑thirds, produced a reusable component library, minimized low‑level coding, and delivered better insight into voltage drops, sizing, and failure modes for quicker, more reliable mission analysis.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems

Hector Hernandez

Orion Lead Power System Analyst