FLEXIBLE INTEGRATED SOLAR CELL ARRAY.
Abstract
A 2-year research and development program for the Air Force was conducted to acquire the technology to design and fabricate flexible deployable solar cell arrays that advanced the power-to-weight ratio of present arrays by a factor of three. Large area Flexible Integrated Solar Cell Arrays (FISCA) are capable of compact stowage and positive deployment and retraction. This report presents the FISCA development program including the subsystem design and mechanical system test certification to the Atlas/Centaur and Titan III-C launch environment. The FISCA design was extended to include large area solar arrays. A 50-square-foot demonstration model capable of producing 500 watts in a near-earth orbit was fabricated and tested. Techniques for fabricating and testing flexible arrays utilizing standard 2 by 2 cm N/P 10-ohm cm silicon cells as well as 1 by 30 cm dendritic silicon cells were examined. Although either cell could have been utilized, the primary effort was focused on incorporation of a GFP 1 by 30 cm dendritic cell into the FISCA demonstration model. Proof of principle has been established and indicates that arrays up to 20 kilowatts in size are entirely feasible. Future effort would be centered around design, development, and fabrication of a flight-qualified 5-kw system having a specific mass of 40 lb/kw or better, using presently available 2 by 2 cm solar cells. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0819491
Entities
People
- E. L. Suenaga
- L. B. Berry
- W. D. Brown
- W. P. Dawson
Organizations
- Hughes Aircraft Company