Clementine gallium arsenide/germanium solar array
1996; American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; Volume: 12; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês
10.2514/3.24137
ISSN1533-3876
Autores Tópico(s)Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies
ResumoThe Clementine spacecraft was launched in January 1994 to demonstrate advanced, lightweight technologies for the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. Clementine was the first U.S. spacecraft to orbit the moon since the 1970s. One of the key lightweight technologies was the solar cell array panels. The panels used thin gallium arsenide on germanium solar cells mounted on lightweight graphite epoxy/ aluminum honeycomb core substrates. The combination provides an array specific power of 53 W/kg. Four deployable panels were fabricated to provide 380 W @ 30 V dc. The small conical-shaped solid rocket motor housing or interstage was also populated with solar cells to provide additional power during the low-Earth-orbit part of the mission. The design of the deployable and interstage arrays, qualification test results, and on-orbit performance data are presented.
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