Title :
Initial results from the TacSat-4 solar cell experiment
Author :
Jenkins, Phillip P. ; Bentz, Douglas C. ; Barnds, Jim ; Binz, Christopher R. ; Messenger, Scott R. ; Warner, Jeffrey H. ; Krasowski, Michael J. ; Prokop, Norman F. ; Spina, Dan C. ; O´Neill, Maire ; Eskenazi, Maxine ; Brandhorst, Henry W. ; Downard, Eric
Author_Institution :
US Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC, USA
Abstract :
The TacSat-4 spacecraft carries a solar cell experiment characterizing a string of 3 triple-junction 1-sun solar cells and a string of triple junction solar cells under a flexible, linear Fresnel lens providing approximately 6 times solar concentration. TacSat-4 flies in a highly elliptical, four hour orbit, passing through proton and electron radiation belts 12 times per day. The damage to solar cells in this environment is severe. In this paper we examine the solar cell damage rates of the two solar cell strings.
Keywords :
solar cells; space vehicle power plants; space vehicles; Fresnel lens; TacSat-4 solar cell; TacSat-4 spacecraft; electron radiation; proton radiation; solar concentration; triple junction solar cells; Degradation; Extraterrestrial measurements; Lenses; Materials; Photovoltaic cells; Space vehicles; Temperature measurement; photovoltaic cells; radiation effects;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2013 IEEE 39th
Conference_Location :
Tampa, FL
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.2013.6745117
