Rocketing into the Future with Apollo Fusion and Altium

Apollo Fusion is a Bay Area startup that develops propulsion systems for satellites that provide global connectivity. Their Power Processing Units (PPUs) are designed to be rugged and radiation-tolerant, capable of operating in the harsh environment of space, whether inside thermal vacuum chambers or in orbit around the earth. The company is committed to ensuring that their PPUs can withstand extreme conditions, conducting rigorous tests for radiation, shock, and random vibration. As a startup, Apollo Fusion places a high value on transparency, particularly from an investment perspective. They are on the cusp of their first major launch and are focused on ensuring that all key stakeholders, including their R&D team, management, and investors, have the most accurate, up-to-date information on product development.

Apollo Fusion, a Bay Area startup, develops propulsion systems for satellites that provide global connectivity. Their Power Processing Units (PPUs) are built to withstand the harsh environment of space, being rugged and radiation-tolerant for ongoing operation inside thermal vacuum chambers or in orbit around the earth. However, to ensure that their PPUs can hold up under extreme conditions, Apollo Fusion has to test their propulsion systems for just about everything, from radiation, to shock, and random vibration. The electronic components, including the PCBs, have to withstand the rigorous testing. As a startup company, maintaining a level of transparency is essential from an investment perspective. With the first major launch on the immediate horizon, Apollo Fusion needed to find a way to connect their R&D team, management and investors quickly and easily, ensuring all key stakeholders had the most accurate, up-to-date information on product development.

Apollo Fusion turned to Altium Designer, empowered by Altium 365, to streamline their operations. This solution allowed them to connect at every stage of product development, as well as all of Apollo Fusion’s stakeholders, ensuring everyone always had access to the most accurate information at all times. Altium 365 didn’t just bring everyone at Apollo Fusion together—it also coalesced their specialized part libraries and allowed for easy exporting of data into thermal analysis software. With an ever-expanding parts and component library, being able to add new parameters is especially helpful for the team. The Altium 365 cloud platform makes part additions almost effortless. With Altium 365 powering their progress, Apollo Fusion’s PPU boards and Hall thrusters can go from the Earth into orbit, enhancing satellite mobility, functionality, and even end-of-life orbit change.

• The implementation of Altium Designer and Altium 365 has significantly improved Apollo Fusion's operations. The solution has not only brought everyone at Apollo Fusion together but also coalesced their specialized part libraries and allowed for easy exporting of data into thermal analysis software. This has been particularly beneficial for the team as they deal with an ever-expanding parts and component library. The Altium 365 cloud platform has made part additions almost effortless, greatly enhancing the efficiency of their operations. Furthermore, the solution has enabled Apollo Fusion’s PPU boards and Hall thrusters to go from the Earth into orbit, enhancing satellite mobility, functionality, and even end-of-life orbit change. This has had a positive impact on everyone, from Apollo Fusion and their customers to everyone who relies on their satellites to power everyday life.