The design and performance of the Hughes HS-39C satellite solar arrays featuring large area solar cells

The successful construction of the Hughes HS-393C solar arrays has demonstrated that large-area silicon solar cells are a viable design option for large space solar panels. The solar arrays used on the HS-393C satellite consist of two cylindrical solar panels. Each panel is approximately 12 ft in diameter and over 9 ft tall. The total array power is 1800 W at summer solstice after ten years in geosynchronous orbit. HS-393C is the first commercial satellite to utilize large-area (>6-cm×6-cm) silicon solar cells as the primary power source. These cells offer a significant cost advantage over more conventionally sized solar cells (<2×6 cm). Analysis after one year in orbit on the first HS-393C indicates that the arrays manufactured from these large-area cells are performing better than expected