EFFECTS OF SOLAR CELL IMPROVEMENTS ON SATELLITE DESIGN

Abstract

Recent advancements in gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cell technology have resulted in appreciable improvements in solar panel performance. The effects of these improvements on weight, size, and power are discussed for three typical satellites: a spin stabilized satellite with rigid drum panels, a 3-axis stabilized satellite with rigid fold-out arrays, and a 3-axis satellite with flexible roll-out arrays. The satellites chosen for these examples are the Hughes HS 376 series standard commercial spin-stabilized satellite, the NASA Solar Max Mission Satellite, and the NASA Large Space Telescope Satellite. The discussion also includes the effects of radiation at synchronous orbits compared to low earth orbits and the effects of temperature on the performance of the solar panel. Typical advantages of a GaAs solar cell spinning array having a beginning of life (BOL) 1 kW power level, in synchronous orbit, over the most efficient silicon solar panels are a reduction of 27 percent in area and a reduction of 7 percent in weight. The improvements are even more dramatic for higher temperatures as will be discussed in the text of this paper. These GaAs solar cells are expected to be available in production quantities by 1985 at a price close to that of silicon cells.