DocumentCode
2435480
Title
Characterization testing of dual junction GaInP2/GaAs/Ge solar cell assemblies
Author
Brown, Michael R. ; Goldhammer, Leland J. ; Goodelle, George S. ; Lortz, Charlene U. ; Perron, John N. ; Powe, Joseph S. ; Schwartz, Joel A. ; Cavicchi, B. Terence ; Gillanders, Mark S. ; Krut, Dmitri D.
Author_Institution
Power, Propulsion & Integrated Struct. Bus. Unit, Hughes Space & Commun. Co., El Segundo, CA, USA
fYear
1997
fDate
29 Sep-3 Oct 1997
Firstpage
805
Lastpage
810
Abstract
The first commercial communications satellite with dual junction solar arrays was launched in August of 1997. The satellite is an HS 601HP series spacecraft built by Hughes Space and Communications Company (HSC). The solar cell assemblies consist of large area gallium-indium-phosphide on gallium-arsenide on germanium (GaInP2 /GaAs/Ge) solar cells with active GaInP2 and GaAs junctions. The cells were developed by Spectrolab Inc. for the HS 601HP and HS 702 spacecraft product lines under a research and development contract from HSC. A comprehensive characterization program was performed on the GaInP2/GaAs/Ge solar cell assemblies used on the HSC arrays. The results provided a complete database enabling the design of the solar array, and demonstrated that the GaInP2/GaAs/Ge cells meet the spacecraft requirements at end-of-life
Keywords
III-V semiconductors; aerospace testing; elemental semiconductors; gallium arsenide; gallium compounds; germanium; indium compounds; p-n heterojunctions; photovoltaic power systems; semiconductor device testing; solar cell arrays; space vehicle power plants; ternary semiconductors; GaInP2-GaAs-Ge; GaInP2/GaAs/Ge solar cells; HS 601HP spacecraft; HS 702 spacecraft; characterization testing; communications satellite; dual junction solar cell arrays; end-of-life; research and development; solar space power; spacecraft requirements; Artificial satellites; Assembly; Contracts; Databases; Gallium arsenide; Germanium; Photovoltaic cells; Research and development; Space vehicles; Testing;
fLanguage
English
Publisher
ieee
Conference_Titel
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1997., Conference Record of the Twenty-Sixth IEEE
Conference_Location
Anaheim, CA
ISSN
0160-8371
Print_ISBN
0-7803-3767-0
Type
conf
DOI
10.1109/PVSC.1997.654210
Filename
654210
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