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Photo of Johns Hopkins APL’s Camera Reveals Surprise for NASA’s Lucy Mission in First Asteroid Encounter
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Johns Hopkins APL’s Camera Reveals Surprise for NASA’s Lucy Mission in First Asteroid Encounter

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Electronics and Avionics

The control system of a spacecraft

The avionics subsystem includes spacecraft command and data handling, processors, digital signal processors, data storage, custom interfaces, controllers and synchronization systems.

Electronic systems engineers design, build and qualify the avionics subsystem of a spacecraft. Each mission presents unique requirements that impact the spacecraft electrical system. These requirements drive creative designers to achieve the optimal balance of performance, mass, power and durability. The electrical architecture is modular, and reusable elements are identified and developed as multi-mission products, where appropriate. We also develop custom equipment to meet the rigorous test and qualification requirements for flight hardware, and support terrestrial and prototype hardware development activities with challenging performance or environmental requirements.

Missions

APL has designed, built and operated more than 70 innovative spacecraft over its six decades of spaceflight experience. Click below to learn about some of the missions that made revolutionary discoveries, and spacecraft that will push the boundaries of exploration and investigate outstanding scientific mysteries.

Learn more about Dragonfly
A silver dronelike rotorcraft flies over a dusty, tan-colored desert with a hazy, warm-colored background

Dragonfly

Dragonfly is a NASA New Frontiers mission that will send a rotorcraft lander to explore the prebiotic chemistry and habitability of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.

Instruments

Scientists and engineers at APL have designed, built and operated more than 300 novel space instruments and methods to conduct cutting-edge research and make groundbreaking discoveries. Click below to learn about some of these instruments and their role in shaping our understanding of space and the solar system.

Learn more about EPI-Lo
EPI-Lo instrument.

EPI-Lo

Mission

Parker Solar Probe

Destinations

Sun & Solar Wind
The Energetic Particle Instrument-Low Energy (EPI-Lo) is investigating the Sun’s energetic particles from an unprecedented distance.

Stories

Go inside APL’s space missions and research, and check out the latest news, features and discoveries from the teams that are probing mysteries from the Sun to the edge of the solar system and beyond.

A photo of a person's hands holding a small plastic box with various electronics and wires in it. Another box on the table behind it reads "EZIE Mag"
Dec 14, 2023

How EZIE-Mag Pushes to Make Science More Accessible and Inclusive

Before the launch of the EZIE mission, the EZIE team at Johns Hopkins APL will make and freely distribute approximately 700 magnetometer kits (nicknamed EZIE-Mag) to teachers and students across the United States, with a specific focus on Indigenous schools.
A photo from space shows the Moon rising over the curvature of the blue Earth. Clouds in the sky show at the foreground of the picture
Dec 5, 2023

Five Ways Johns Hopkins APL Is Advancing Lunar Science, Security and Technology

The scientific, economic and national security value of the Moon and its surrounding space has kicked off an era of intense international cooperation and competition. The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, leveraging its broad and distinguished base of experts, is making advancements that will keep the nation at the forefront in the development and exploration of the region.
Rendering of the Interstellar Mapping Probe in space.
Sep 20, 2023

IMAP Mission Begins Integration and Testing at Johns Hopkins APL — Public Invited to Follow Along With Livestream

NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) is embarking on its yearlong integration and testing campaign, during which all of the instruments and components will be added to the spacecraft structure, and tested to ensure they will survive the harsh environments of launch and space, and made ready to execute their mission.