Experimental Solar Array Space Flight Experiment on the AFRL TacSat-2 Spacecraft

Abstract

This technical report presents the physical configuration, preflight testing, and on-orbit data analysis for the Experimental Solar Array flown on the TacSat-2 satellite (a.k.a. Roadrunner). Successful deployment of the fold integrated thin-film stiffening solar array was demonstrated. In addition, on-orbit electrical performance data was obtained for approximately 79 watts (Beginning-of-Life (BOL), Air Mass 0 (AM0), at 25C) of triple junction a-Si (amorphous silicon) thin-film solar cells integrated in a series/parallel configuration to support a 28V spacecraft bus. Measured on-orbit electrical data showed reasonable agreement with predicted on-orbit operation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 04, 2018
Accession Number
AD1064742

Entities

People

  • Bernie Carpenter
  • Neeraj Gupta
  • Paul E. Hausgen

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Air Force
  • Air Masses
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Data Analysis
  • Data Set
  • Data Sets
  • Deployment
  • Diagrams
  • Digital Data
  • Engineering
  • Films
  • Flight
  • Low Earth Orbits
  • Measurement
  • Renewable Energy
  • Satellite Buses
  • Short Circuits
  • Solar Cells
  • Solar Panels
  • Solar Spectrum
  • Space Flight
  • Spacecraft
  • Thin Films

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Software Engineering
  • Solar Photovoltaics and Thermoelectric Devices.
  • Tactical Satellite Communications Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites