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Enhanced plasma current collection from weakly conducting solar array blankets
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Hillard, G. Barry |
| Copyright Year | 1993 |
| Description | Among the solar cell technologies to be tested in space as part of the Solar Array Module Plasma Interactions Experiment (SAMPIE) will be the Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array (APSA). Several prototype twelve cell coupons were built for NASA using different blanket materials and mounting techniques. The first conforms to the baseline design for APSA which calls for the cells to be mounted on a carbon loaded Kapton blanket to control charging in GEO. When deployed, this design has a flexible blanket supported around the edges. A second coupon was built with the cells mounted on Kapton-H, which was in turn cemented to a solid aluminum substrate. A final coupon was identical to the latter but used germanium coated Kapton to control atomic oxygen attack in LEO. Ground testing of these coupons in a plasma chamber showed considerable differences in plasma current collection. The Kapton-H coupon demonstrated current collection consistent with exposed interconnects and some degree of cell snapover. The other two coupons experienced anomalously large collection currents. This behavior is believed to be a consequence of enhanced plasma sheaths supported by the weakly conducting carbon and germanium used in these coupons. The results reported here are the first experimental evidence that the use of such materials can result in power losses to high voltage space power systems. |
| File Size | 998478 |
| Page Count | 26 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_19930017892 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t3rv5gd23 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 1993-05-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance Solar Cells Kapton Trademark Solar Arrays Aluminum Spacecraft Power Supplies High Voltages Plasma Sheaths Coatings Substrates Space Plasmas Cementation Ground Tests Oxygen Atoms Spacecraft Charging Germanium Plasma Currents Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Technical Report |
