Integrated Signal & Power in a Single Space-Grade Assembly
CSWL Space Cables: Simplify Your Spacecraft Harness
Gore CSWL-series multi-conductor space cables combine signal and power conductors in a single lightweight assembly, enabling spacecraft harness designers to reduce connector count, cable routing complexity, and overall harness mass without compromising space-grade performance.
CSWL-series multi-conductor space cables combining signal and power in a single lightweight assembly for complex spacecraft harness simplification. By integrating multiple functions into one cable construction, CSWL reduces harness complexity, connector count, and the associated failure mode risk in satellite integration.
Why Choose Gore CSWL Space Cables?
Harness Simplification Reduces Integration Risk
Every connector in a spacecraft harness is a potential failure point — in vibration, thermal cycling, or long-duration space operation. CSWL cables consolidate separate signal and power routes into a single assembly, reducing total connector count, eliminating redundant routing paths, and decreasing the integration labor hours required for harness fabrication and testing.
Mass and Volume Efficiency
Multi-conductor construction achieves better packing efficiency than running separate cables for each function. For spacecraft where mass budget and harness routing volume are tightly constrained — increasingly common in small satellite and CubeSat-class missions — CSWL's integrated construction provides meaningful savings in both mass and wiring bay volume.
Space-Grade Materials Throughout
CSWL cables use the same radiation-tolerant ePTFE insulation and low-outgassing jacket materials as Gore's dedicated single-function space cables. Signal conductor pairs maintain impedance control for data transmission integrity, while power conductors are sized for the current capacity of the application — all within a unified, space-qualified construction.
Technical Specifications
- Cable Type
- Multi-conductor (signal + power)
- Insulation
- Radiation-tolerant ePTFE
- Operating Temperature
- -180°C to +200°C
- Outgassing
- ECSS-Q-ST-70-02 compliant
- Signal Pairs
- Twisted shielded pairs, impedance controlled
- Power Conductors
- Silver-plated copper, application-sized
- Jacket
- Low-outgassing fluoropolymer
Applications
- Subsystem harness combining power and telemetry to remote units
- Payload instrument power and data interface cables
- Solar array power and position encoder combined harness
- Propulsion system valve drive and feedback combined wiring
- Attitude control sensor and actuator interface harnesses
- CubeSat and small satellite integrated harness designs
Industries Served
Frequently Asked Questions
Can CSWL cables separate signal and power circuits at the connector end?
Yes. CSWL cables are designed to fan out at each end to separate connectors for power and signal — the integration happens in the cable routing segment where mass and volume savings are achieved. Harness drawings can be customized to any termination arrangement.
Is signal crosstalk between power and signal conductors a concern?
Gore's CSWL construction uses shielded twisted pairs for signal conductors and appropriate separation and shielding from power conductors. The design controls EMI coupling to meet spacecraft electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements. Specific crosstalk data is available in Gore's technical documentation.
Are CSWL cables suitable for high-power spacecraft applications?
CSWL cables are optimized for subsystem-level power distribution (typically instrument and unit power at low to moderate current levels). For main bus power distribution at higher current levels, Gore's SPM-series power cables are more appropriate. Contact RSTECH to discuss your power distribution architecture.
How does RSTECH support harness design using CSWL cables?
RSTECH Electronics provides technical support for harness design, including conductor sizing guidance, connector selection, and interface with Gore's applications engineering team. We can review your harness block diagram and recommend appropriate cable configurations.
Ready to source CSWL Space Cables in Israel?
Contact RSTECH Electronics — your authorized Gore representative in Israel.