Title :
GaAs photovoltaic technology application: ARSENE solar array
Author :
Brambilla, L. ; Caon, A. ; Contini, R. ; D´Accolti, C. ; Rossi, E. ; Verzeni, G. ; Flores, C. ; Paletta, F. ; Rapp, E. ; Viola, F.
Author_Institution :
FIAR Spa, Italy
Abstract :
This paper describes the solar array design, manufacturing and testing of ARSENE, a French radioamateur minisatellite planned for launch into an elliptic equatorial orbit (20000-36000 km) in May 1993 with the ARIANE 4 vehicle. The six solar panels composing the solar array embody 29 strings of 34 GaAs solar cells, series connected, necessary to meet the end-of-life power requirement of 42 W at 25.5 V. Different considerations that have led to the electrical design optimization and layout definition are discussed in the paper. Testing activity, successfully carried out both at panel level and satellite level, has completed the activity on the ARSENE satellite
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; artificial satellites; gallium arsenide; photovoltaic power systems; semiconductor device testing; solar cell arrays; solar cells; space vehicle power plants; 25.5 V; 42 W; ARSENE solar array; French radioamateur minisatellite; GaAs; GaAs photovoltaic technology; electrical design optimization; electrical layout definition; elliptic equatorial orbit; end-of-life power requirement; solar cells; solar panels; testing activity; Costs; Gallium arsenide; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Satellite broadcasting; Silicon; Solar power generation; Space missions; Space technology; Testing;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1993., Conference Record of the Twenty Third IEEE
Conference_Location :
Louisville, KY
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1220-1
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.1993.346902
