Testing activities and results of GaAs space solar cells and PV assemblies for high temperature and insolation applications

Purpose of this work is the testing of materials and manufacturing processes able to withstand the high temperature conditions typical of the interplanetary space missions towards the Sun (e.g. Mercury). This goal was achieved by means of an optimisation work performed on the space solar cells already existing and "standard" photo-voltaic assembly technologies. After some preliminary tests and analyses the most suitable candidates have been identified for all the mission phases and different CICs and modules design have been established. The paper presented at the 29th PVSC conference described the preliminary trade offs and experimental activities. More than 100 CICs in various configurations and 7 modules have been manufactured to find out the best high temperature and insolation PVA concept (solar cell candidates SJ & TJ; substrate candidates: Carbon & Aluminium substrates).