Title :
The GGS spacecraft, solar arrays for space physics
Author_Institution :
Space Power Appl. Branch, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
Abstract :
Two Global Geospace Science (GGS) spacecraft, WIND and POLAR, support highly sensitive instruments for measurements in the plasma source and plasma storage regions of geospace. The increased sensitivity of the electric and magnetic field instruments on the GGS missions required NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Lockheed Martin Astro Space (LMAS) to explore new and innovative methods of providing an electrostatically clean, equipotential surface that would minimize interference with the surrounding plasma environment. This paper summarizes the qualification program, test results, flight build and on orbit performance of the GGS solar arrays
Keywords :
aerospace testing; elemental semiconductors; photovoltaic power systems; semiconductor device testing; silicon; solar cell arrays; solar cells; space research; space vehicle power plants; Global Geospace Science spacecraft; Si; electric field instruments; flight build; magnetic field instruments; on-orbit performance; plasma source space region; plasma storage space region; qualification program; solar arrays; space power solar cells; test results; Electrostatic measurements; Extraterrestrial measurements; Instruments; Magnetic field measurement; Nuclear and plasma sciences; Physics; Plasma measurements; Plasma sources; Space missions; Space vehicles;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1996., Conference Record of the Twenty Fifth IEEE
Conference_Location :
Washington, DC
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3166-4
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.1996.564006
