SAC-A satellite: first experiment of Argentine solar cells in space

Author

Bolzi, C.G. ; Bruno, C.J. ; Durán, J.C. ; Godfrin, E.M. ; Bogado, M. G Martinez ; Merino, L.M. ; Plá, J.C. ; Tamasi, M.J.L. ; Barrera, M.

Author_Institution

Dept. de Fisica, Centro Atomico Constituyentes, San Martin, Argentina

fYear

2000

fDate

2000

Firstpage

1344

Lastpage

1347

Abstract

On December 1998, the Endeavour space shuttle launched the Argentine satellite SAC-A. Among several technological experiments, this satellite included a set of crystalline silicon solar cells fabricated in Argentina to test them in the space environment. In this paper, we describe the experiments associated with these solar cells and analyze the corresponding telemetry data received from January to July 1999. Simultaneously, several radiation damage experiments using 10 MeV protons supplied by a cyclotron accelerator were performed. The variation of the electrical characteristics of the irradiated cells are also presented

Keywords

artificial satellites; elemental semiconductors; radiation effects; silicon; solar cells; space vehicle power plants; telemetry; testing; 10 MeV; Argentine satellite; Argentine solar cells; Endeavour space shuttle; SAC-A satellite; Si; crystalline silicon solar cells; cyclotron accelerator; electrical characteristics; irradiated cells; protons; radiation damage; solar cells testing; space environment; telemetry data; Crystallization; Cyclotrons; Photovoltaic cells; Protons; Satellites; Silicon; Space shuttles; Space technology; Telemetry; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2000. Conference Record of the Twenty-Eighth IEEE

Conference_Location

Anchorage, AK

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-5772-8

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.2000.916140

Filename

916140