Engineering topics
MacFarland, Clara A.
Publications and source records attributed to MacFarland, Clara A..
Solar power for deep-space applications: state of art and development
Solar arrays have been used successfully as the power source for multiple NASA spacecraft, including in deep space as far as the Jupiter orbit at 5.5AU. In this paper, we outline the challenges to solar array performance in deep space environments, and overview the current state of practice. We also highlight recent results from our work on developing solar cells optimized for low irradiance, low temperature (LILT) operating conditions, and the implications on extending the range of solar power out to the Saturn orbit at 9.5AU.
Kowalczyk, Robert S.↗