The EOS-AM solar array-a flexible GaAs/Ge array

Author

Kimber, R. ; Regalado, O. ; Wu, C.

Author_Institution

Martin Marietta Astro Space, Princeton, NJ, USA

fYear

1993

fDate

10-14 May 1993

Firstpage

1375

Lastpage

1380

Abstract

The EOS-AM spacecraft is the first in a series of NASA remote Earth sensing spacecraft due for launch in 1998. The spacecraft requires a single solar array wing with an End of Life (5 years) power requirement of 5 kW. This paper discusses the technical issues which concluded that a flexible blanket with 5.5 mil thick GaAs/Ge solar cells was the optimum design at both array and spacecraft level. A relative cost study showed that there was only marginal cost impact in using GaAs/Ge cells as against silicon cells on a flexible array. An overview of the proposed design (based on the TRW APSA design) is also given

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; elemental semiconductors; gallium arsenide; germanium; photovoltaic power systems; solar cell arrays; solar cells; space vehicle power plants; 5 kW; 5.5 mm; EOS-AM solar array; EOS-AM spacecraft; GaAs-Ge; NASA remote Earth sensing spacecraft; flexible GaAs/Ge array; flexible blanket; solar array wing; Costs; Gallium arsenide; Instruments; Low earth orbit satellites; NASA; Photovoltaic cells; Power generation; Silicon; Solar power generation; Space vehicles;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1993., Conference Record of the Twenty Third IEEE

Conference_Location

Louisville, KY

Print_ISBN

0-7803-1220-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1993.346916

Filename

346916