Presentation Details
| The Case for Low Efficiency Solar Cells in Space Satellites Brad Reed1, 2, Tim Locke2, Matt Voss3, Chris Olmedo2. 1WR Scientific, Inc., Eden, UT, USA.2Space Force, Washington, DC, USA.3NearSpace Launch, Upland, IN, USA |
Abstract
The satellite high-efficiency solar cell industry produces approximately 2 MW of high efficiency space-qualified solar cell power per year, where an estimated 22 MW annually is required to power future missions. The approach of using low efficiency, low-cost, non-space-qualified, or non-radiation-tolerant solar cells to supply power to proliferated LEO missions is being considered due to the limited availability of space-qualified high efficiency solar cells. The satellite-level C-SWAP impacts of increased solar array area and satellite mass can reduce mission life or impact military utility. Increased satellite system-level costs may be balanced with revenue to potentially make low-performing or low-cost cells acceptable. In the context of overall satellite cost, a first-generation data-driven satellite-level C-SWAP solar array model has been developed that describes mission impacts see when low-efficiency cells, low-cost cells, or cells not radiation-hardened are used in proposed satellite designs. Implementation of this model is applied to the SPEAR-1 mission launched in July 2026 to illustrate the effects of solar panel design tradeoffs to mission success.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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