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

fYear

2013

fDate

16-21 June 2013

Firstpage

3108

Lastpage

3111

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;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2013 IEEE 39th

Conference_Location

Tampa, FL

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.2013.6745117

Filename

6745117