LIPS III-a solar cell test bed in space

Author

Severns, J.G. ; Hobbs, R.M. ; Elliot, N.P. ; Towsley, R.H. ; Conway, R.W. ; Virshup, G.F.

Author_Institution

US Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC, USA

fYear

1988

fDate

1988

Firstpage

801

Abstract

The operation of the LIPS III spacecraft and the experiments placed aboard it are described. The purpose of the satellite is to provide a platform for long-term testing of innovative solar cells and concentrator systems. In all, 140 distinct I-V curves are measured from cells mounted on 30 panels provided by 18 different laboratories. Included are cells of GaAs, AlGaAs, InGaAs, silicon (crystalline and amorphous), InP and CuInSe₂. With the exception of one, all of the experiments aboard LIPS III are photovoltaic in nature. Two indium phosphide and three thin-film cell experiments are aboard LIPS III. Three concentrator concepts included among the LIPS III experiments are also briefly reviewed. The problems encountered are summarized.

Keywords

semiconductor thin films; solar cells; solar energy concentrators; space vehicles; AlGaAs; CuInSe₂; GaAs; I-V curves; InGaAs; InP; LIPS III spacecraft; Si; a-Si; solar cell test bed; solar concentrators; space; thin film cells; Gallium arsenide; Indium gallium arsenide; Indium phosphide; Laboratories; Lips; Photovoltaic cells; Satellites; Silicon; Space vehicles; System testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1988., Conference Record of the Twentieth IEEE

Conference_Location

Las Vegas, NV, USA

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1988.105815

Filename

105815