Performance testing of the 5 kW EOS AM-1 flexible solar array blanket

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:347780

Schurig, H H; Kruer, M A; Levesque, M N ^[1]; Gaddy, E M ^[2]; Andiario, W J ^[3]

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1. TRW Space and Electronics Group, Redondo Beach, CA (United States)
2. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States)
3. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space, Valley Forge, PA (United States)

A GaAs/Ge flexible solar array blanket has been developed for use on the NASA/GSFC remote sensing EOS AM-1 spacecraft. This single wing array has been designed to provide a 5 kW of power after five years in a low earth polar orbit. The blanket configuration includes design features such as thin GaAs/Ge cell stacks mounted on a large flexible, hinged substrate, parallel connected solar cell strings providing high voltage output, a printed circuit harness, and a multi-layer jumper bus providing electrical continuity between the cell strings and the printed circuit harness. This work was contracted to TRW Space and Electronics Group in 1993 by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space (LMMS). This paper presents the essential design of the EOS AM-1 solar array blanket, and summarizes the results of a qualification test program designed to demonstrate adequate design margins and to assess the performance of the mechanical and electrical components after exposure to a simulated mission space environment. It also reviews the complexities of performing electrical output on a 8.9 m x 5.0 m deployed solar array blanket under AM0 conditions.

• OSTI ID: 347780
• Report Number(s): CONF-970701--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
DESIGN
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
POWER RANGE 01-10 KW
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS