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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 541 records · Page 30
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Similarities and Differences in the Effects of Toxic Concentrations of Cadmium and Chromium on the Structure and Functions of Thylakoid Membranes in Chlorella variabilis

Trace metal contaminations in natural waters, wetlands, and wastewaters pose serious threats to aquatic ecosystems—mainly via targeting microalgae. In this work, we investigated the effects of toxic amounts of chromium and cadmium ions on the structure and function of the photosynthetic machinery of Chlorella variabilis cells. To halt the propagation of cells, we used high concentrations of Cd and Cr, 50–50 mg L –1 , in the forms of CdCl 2 x 2.5 H 2 O and K 2 Cr 2 O 7 , respectively. Both treatments led to similar, about 50% gradual diminishment of the chlorophyll contents of the cells in 48 h, which was, however, accompanied by a small (~10%) but statistically significant enrichment (Cd) and loss (Cr) of ß-carotene. Both Cd and Cr inhibited the activity of photosystem II (PSII)—but with more severe inhibitions with Cr. On the contrary, the PsbA (D1) protein of PSII and the PsbO protein of the oxygen-evolving complex were retained more in Cr-treated cells than in the presence of Cd. These data and the higher susceptibility of P700 redox transients in Cr-treated cells suggest that, unlike with Cd, PSII is not the main target in the photochemical apparatus. These differences at the level of photochemistry also brought about dissimilarities at higher levels of the structural complexity of the photosynthetic apparatus. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy measurements revealed moderate perturbations in the macro-organization of the protein complexes—with more pronounced decline in Cd-treated cells than in the cells with Cr. Also, as reflected by transmission electron microscopy and small-angle neutron scattering, the thylakoid membranes suffered shrinking and were largely fragmented in Cd-treated cells, whereas no changes could be discerned with Cr. The preservation of integrity of membranes in Cr-treated cells was most probably aided by high proportion of the de-epoxidized xanthophylls, which were absent with Cd. It can thus be concluded that beside strong similarities of the toxic effects of Cr and Cd, the response of the photosynthetic machinery of C. variabilis to these two trace metal ions substantially differ from each other—strongly suggesting different inhibitory and protective mechanisms following the primary toxic events.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Transcriptional and translational landscape of Candida auris in response to caspofungin

Candida auris has emerged as a serious worldwide threat by causing opportunistic infections that are frequently resistant to one or more conventional antifungal medications resulting in high mortality rates. Against this backdrop, health warnings around the world have focused efforts on understanding C. auris fungal biology and effective prevention and treatment approaches to combat this fungus. To date, there is little information about the differentially expressed genes when this fungus is treated with conventional antifungals, and caspofungin is a standard echinocandin deployed in the therapy against C. auris. In this work, we treated two distinct strains of C. auris for 24h with caspofungin, and the cellular responses were evaluated at the morphological, translational and transcriptional levels. We first observed that the echinocandin caused morphological alterations, aggregation of yeast cells, and modifications in the cell wall composition of C. auris. Transcriptomic analysis revealed an upregulation of genes related to the synthesis of the cell wall, ribosome, and cell cycle after exposure to caspofungin. Supporting these findings, the integrated proteomic analysis showed that caspofungin-treated cells were enriched in ribosome-related proteins and cell wall, especially mannoproteins. Altogether, these results provide further insights into the biology of C. auris and expands our understanding regarding the antifungal activity of caspofungin and reveal cellular targets, as the mannose metabolism, that can be further explored for the development of novel antifungals.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Rheinheimera sp . T2C2 Bacterial Biofilm for Bioremediation of Cobalt(II)

Toxic metals, including cobalt, are often the cause of the contamination of rivers and lakes in mining regions. Heavy metal water pollution has been linked to numerous human health problems, prompting the need for environmental remediation. Existing techniques for removing heavy metals from water, such as chemical precipitation and filtration, produce toxic waste, are costly, or require high power consumption for pumping. Biosorption is a potential alternative strategy that is cost-effective and uses readily available and naturally produced biomass and living material to absorb pollutants. Engineering living materials, such as biofilms, which consist of living cells and a secreted polymer matrix, offer the potential to integrate toxin sensing, sequestration, and metabolism capabilities of cells to improve pollution remediation strategies. Alternative biofilm producing candidates need to be explored to implement these material capabilities. Previous biosorption studies have primarily used bacterial biofilms from known pathogens and/or generated toxic waste in the form of the absorbent material combined with the heavy metal. Here, we describe a recently isolated bacterium called Rheinheimera sp. T2C2 that forms biofilms with promising biosorption characteristics. T2C2 is an aquatic bacterium with low nutrient requirements and high biofilm production that is not known to be pathogenic. We demonstrate (1) the efficacy of Rheinheimera sp. T2C2 as a biosorbent for cobalt bioremediation; (2) how biosorption is altered by water conditions to establish the efficacy of this strategy in different environments; and (3) how the metal can be released from the biofilm for metal recycling. Our findings will provide a living materials strategy that overcomes the existing barriers for bioremediation and improves the health of ecosystems and humans through heavy metal removal and recycling.

Rheinheimera↗
NASA NTRS2007

Development of a High Efficiency UVR/IRR Coverglass for Triple Junction Solar Cells

Cover glasses have been a necessary and integral part of space solar arrays since their inception. The main function of the cover glass is to protect the underlying solar cell from the harsh radiation environment of space. They are formed either from fused silica or specially formulated ceria doped glass types that are resistant to radiation damage, for example Pilkington's CMX, CMG, CMO. Solar cells have steadily increased in performance over the past years, from Silicon cells through textured Silicon cells to GaAs cells and the multijunction cells of today. The optimum coverglass solution for each of these cells has been different. The glass itself has also evolved. In some cases it has had its expansion coefficient matched to the cell substrate material, and in addition, added value has been derived from the application of thin film optical coatings to the coverglass. In the majority of cases this has taken the form of a single layer of MgF2 which acts as an antireflection coating. There are also conductive coatings to address electrostatic discharge issues (ESD) and Ultra Violet Reflective (UVR) and Infrared Reflective (IRR) coatings designed for thermal enhancement. Each type of coating can be applied singly or in combination. This paper describes a new type of UVR/IRR (or blue red reflector BRR) specifically designed for triple junction solar cells. For space applications, where radiation is the principal mechanism for removing heat from the satellite, it is the emittance and solar absorptance that primarily determine the temperature of the array. It is therefore essential that any coatings designed to have an effect on the temperature by reducing the solar absorption have a minimal effect on the overall emittance.

Russell, John↗
NASA NTRS2010

Fuel-Cell Water Separator

The main product of a typical fuel cell is water, and many fuel-cell configurations use the flow of excess gases (i.e., gases not consumed by the reaction) to drive the resultant water out of the cell. This two-phase mixture then exits through an exhaust port where the two fluids must again be separated to prevent the fuel cell from flooding and to facilitate the reutilization of both fluids. The Glenn Research Center (GRC) has designed, built, and tested an innovative fuel-cell water separator that not only removes liquid water from a fuel cell s exhaust ports, but does so with no moving parts or other power-consuming components. Instead it employs the potential and kinetic energies already present in the moving exhaust flow. In addition, the geometry of the separator is explicitly intended to be integrated into a fuel-cell stack, providing a direct mate with the fuel cell s existing flow ports. The separator is also fully scalable, allowing it to accommodate a wide range of water removal requirements. Multiple separators can simply be "stacked" in series or parallel to adapt to the water production/removal rate. GRC s separator accomplishes the task of water removal by coupling a high aspect- ratio flow chamber with a highly hydrophilic, polyethersulfone membrane. The hydrophilic membrane readily absorbs and transports the liquid water away from the mixture while simultaneously resisting gas penetration. The expansive flow path maximizes the interaction of the water particles with the membrane while minimizing the overall gas flow restriction. In essence, each fluid takes its corresponding path of least resistance, and the two fluids are effectively separated. The GRC fuel-cell water separator has a broad range of applications, including commercial hydrogen-air fuel cells currently being considered for power generation in automobiles.

Burke, Kenneth Alan↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spatial co-transcriptomics reveals discrete stages of the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

Abstract The symbiotic interaction of plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is ancient and widespread. Plants provide AM fungi with carbon in exchange for nutrients and water, making this interaction a prime target for crop improvement. However, plant–fungal interactions are restricted to a small subset of root cells, precluding the application of most conventional functional genomic techniques to study the molecular bases of these interactions. Here we used single-nucleus and spatial RNA sequencing to explore both Medicago truncatula and Rhizophagus irregularis transcriptomes in AM symbiosis at cellular and spatial resolution. Integrated, spatially registered single-cell maps revealed infected and uninfected plant root cell types. We observed that cortex cells exhibit distinct transcriptome profiles during different stages of colonization by AM fungi, indicating dynamic interplay between both organisms during establishment of the cellular interface enabling successful symbiosis. Our study provides insight into a symbiotic relationship of major agricultural and environmental importance and demonstrates a paradigm combining single-cell and spatial transcriptomics for the analysis of complex organismal interactions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1980

Technology Development for Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell Powerplant, Phase 2

The technology development for materials, cells, and reformers for on site integrated energy systems is described. The carbonization of 25 cu cm, 350 cu cm, and 1200 cu cm cell test hardware was accomplished and the performance of 25 cu cm fuel cells was improved. Electrochemical corrosion rates of graphite/phenolic resin composites in phosphoric acid were determined. Three cells (5 in by 15 in stacks) were operated for longer than 7000 hours. Specified endurance stacks completed a total of 4000 hours. An electrically heated reformer was tested and is to provide hydrogen for 23 cell fuel cell stack.

Christner, L.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Dynamics of pectic homogalacturonan in cellular morphogenesis and adhesion, wall integrity sensing and plant development

Homogalacturonan (HG) is the most abundant pectin subtype in plant cell walls. Although it is a linear homopolymer, its modification states allow for complex molecular encoding. HG metabolism affects its structure, chemical properties, mobility and binding capacity, allowing it to interact dynamically with other polymers during wall assembly and remodelling and to facilitate anisotropic cell growth, cell adhesion and separation, and organ morphogenesis. HGs have also recently been found to function as signalling molecules that transmit information about wall integrity to the cell. Here we highlight recent advances in our understanding of the dual functions of HG as a dynamic structural component of the cell wall and an initiator of intrinsic and environmental signalling. Here, we also predict how HG might interconnect the cell wall, plasma membrane and intracellular components with transcriptional networks to regulate plant growth and development.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

A cell type-aware framework for nominating non-coding variants in Mendelian regulatory disorders

Abstract Unsolved Mendelian cases often lack obvious pathogenic coding variants, suggesting potential non-coding etiologies. Here, we present a single cell multi-omic framework integrating embryonic mouse chromatin accessibility, histone modification, and gene expression assays to discover cranial motor neuron (cMN)cis-regulatory elements and subsequently nominate candidate non-coding variants in the congenital cranial dysinnervation disorders (CCDDs), a set of Mendelian disorders altering cMN development. We generate single cell epigenomic profiles for ~86,000 cMNs and related cell types, identifying ~250,000 accessible regulatory elements with cognate gene predictions for ~145,000 putative enhancers. We evaluate enhancer activity for 59 elements using an in vivo transgenic assay and validate 44 (75%), demonstrating that single cell accessibility can be a strong predictor of enhancer activity. Applying our cMN atlas to 899 whole genome sequences from 270 genetically unsolved CCDD pedigrees, we achieve significant reduction in our variant search space and nominate candidate variants predicted to regulate known CCDD disease genesMAFB, PHOX2A, CHN1, andEBF3– as well as candidates in recurrently mutated enhancers through peak- and gene-centric allelic aggregation. This work delivers non-coding variant discoveries of relevance to CCDDs and a generalizable framework for nominating non-coding variants of potentially high functional impact in other Mendelian disorders.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Gas Stopper Developments for Improved Purity and Intensity of Low-Energy, Rare Isotope Ion Beams (Final Technical Report)

This final technical report summarizes the work of the Michigan State University (MSU) team supported by grant # DE-SC0021423 awarded by the Office of Nuclear Physics, Department of Energy. Objectives: The successful fulfillment of the FRIB science mission hinges on ensuring the availability of fast, stopped, and reaccelerated beams consisting of rare isotopes. This project's research and development focus was dedicated to supporting the advancement and creation of a cutting-edge linear gas stopper. The primary aim is to efficiently convert the high-intensity fast beams of rare isotopes provided by FRIB into high-quality, low-energy beams. These beams are essential for conducting stopped beam experiments or for subsequent reacceleration. The overarching goal is to advance technology, aiming to increase the beam rate capability of the linear gas stopper for medium-to-heavy-mass rare isotopes by more than tenfold compared to the currently most effective gas stopper in operation, and to improve the purity of the delivered beams. Project Description: The existing technology employed in gas stopping devices designed for low-energy, rare-isotope beams presents limitations in both the purity of extracted beams and the intensities of injected beams. These limitations are incompatible with the requirements of the recently commissioned rare isotope beam facility, FRIB. Our research and development efforts, aligned with the previously outlined objectives, focused on addressing the most critical aspects for enhancing beam-rate capability and purity. Specifically, advanced particle-in-cell simulations were developed and integrated into a simulation pipeline to explore the efficacy of multi-layer RF carpets on increasing ion transport efficiency with high incoming beam rates that generate space charge fields which can limit it. We also explored the possibility of using a collision-induced-dissociation (CID) gas cell to break up molecular contaminant ions that are generated during the stopping process. A prototype CID gas cell was constructed and tested with beams from an offline ion source, validating the concept with the successful demonstration of breaking of molecular ions. The outcome of this research enabled the formulation a conceptual design for a next-generation linear gas stopping device specifically tailored for FRIB. This device is envisioned to deliver rare-isotope-ion beams at a rate of 10 8 particles per second or higher, accompanied by advancements in purity. Methods employed: This project leverages advancements in technologies initially designed for the Advanced Cryogenic Gas Stopper (ACGS), the current state-of-the-art linear gas stopper, through the use of new simulations and beam purification via collision-induced-dissociation. The methods include: 1. Development of a prototype low-energy, low-pressure CID gas stopper. This prototype features a thin, approximately 20 nm, Si 3 N 4 entrance window designed for dissociating stable and rare-isotope molecular ions. The goal is to enhance beam purification and overall efficiency. 2. Creation of Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations to assess the advantages of multi-layer RF carpets and multi-point extraction for ion transport efficiency. These simulations rely on the 3DCylPIC package, specifically designed for studying devices of this nature. The goal is to quantify and mitigate ion transport losses due to space charge generated in the stopping process of large numbers of ions. 3. Perform ion transport simulations across an RF carpet using an 8-phase travelling wave and evaluate its performance. Compared to the 4-phase RF carpets used in ACGS, the 8-phase carpets will double the wavelength of the generated traveling wave allowing for larger maximum RF amplitudes that could result in improved ion transport efficiency for high-intensity incoming beams when large space charge fields are present. Impact: Tackling the primary challenges associated with transforming high-energy projectile fragment beams into low-energy beams—specifically, addressing efficiency and purity—holds significant promise for advancing FRIB science. This advancement will particularly impact precision mass measurements, laser spectroscopy of short-lived nuclei, and studies in astrophysics and nuclear reactions using reaccelerated beams. These domains play a crucial role in addressing key questions outlined in the 2023 NSAC long-range plan, spanning nuclear structure, nuclear astrophysics, and fundamental symmetries. Additionally, they contribute to addressing 10 out of the 17 benchmarks identified by the NRC RISAC. The development of a next-generation gas stopping device capable of delivering low-energy, rare-isotope beams at a rate of 10 8 particles per second, or more, with high purity holds the potential to unlock experiments that would otherwise be unfeasible. Furthermore, it is expected to reduce the time required for experiments at FRIB, thereby maximizing scientific output. The research and development activities performed as part of this project bolstered essential competencies at FRIB in beam physics and ion source technologies, provided valuable training opportunities for junior scientists.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS2011

Development and Demonstration of Sustainable Surface Infrastructure for Moon/Mars Exploration

For long-term human exploration of the Moon and Mars to be practical, affordable, and sustainable, future missions must be able to identify and utilize resources at the site of exploration. The ability to characterize, extract, processes, and separate products from local material, known as In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), can provide significant reductions in launch mass, logistics, and development costs while reducing risk through increased mission flexibility and protection as well as increased mission capabilities in the areas of power and transportation. Making mission critical consumables like propellants, fuel cell reagents and life support gases, as well as in-situ crew/hardware protection and energy storage capabilities can significantly enhance robotic and human science and exploration missions, however other mission systems need to be designed to interface with and utilize these in-situ developed products and services from the start or the benefits will be minimized or eliminated. This requires a level of surface and transportation system development coordination not typically utilized during early technology and system development activities. An approach being utilized by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Canadian Space Agency has been to utilize joint analogue field demonstrations to focus technology development activities to demonstrate and integrate new and potentially game changing. mission critical capabilities that would enable an affordable and sustainable surface infrastructure for lunar and Mars robotic and human exploration. Two analogue field tests performed in November 2008 and February 2010 demonstrated first generation capabilities for lunar resource prospecting, exploration site preparation, and oxygen extraction from regolith while initiating integration with mobility, science, fuel cell power, and propulsion disciplines. A third analogue field test currently planned for June 2012 will continue and expand the fidelity and integration of these surface exploration and infrastructure capabilities while adding Mars exploration technologies, improving remote operations and control of hardware, and promoting the use of common software, interfaces, & standards for control and operation for surface exploration and science. The next field test will also attempt to include greater involvement by industry, academia, and other countries/space agencies. This paper will provide an overview of the development and demonstration approach utilized to date, the results of the previous two ISRU-focused field analogue tests in Hawaii, and the current objectives and plans for the 3rd international Hawaii analogue field test.

Sanders, Gerald B.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Dynamic and Programmable Cellular-Scale Granules Enable Tissue-like Materials

Living tissues are an integrated, multiscale architecture consisting of dense cellular ensembles and extracellular matrices (ECMs). The cells and ECMs cooperate to enable specialized mechanical properties and dynamic responsiveness. However, the mechanical properties of living tissues are difficult to replicate. A particular challenge is identification of a cell-like synthetic component, which is tightly integrated with its matrix and also responsive to external stimuli. Here, we demonstrate that cellular-scale hydrated starch granules, an underexplored component in materials science, can turn conventional hydrogels into tissue-like materials when composites are formed. By using several synchrotron-based X-ray techniques, we reveal the mechanically induced organization and training dynamics of the starch granules in the hydrogel matrix. These dynamic behaviors enable multiple tissue-like properties such as programmability, anisotropy, strain-stiffening, mechanochemistry, and self-healability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2003

Development of an Ultraflex-Based Thin Film Solar Array for Space Applications

As flexible thin film photovoltaic (FTFPV) cell technology is developed for space applications, integration into a viable solar array structure that optimizes the attributes of this cell technology is critical. An advanced version of ABLE'sS UltraFlex solar array platform represents a near-term, low-risk approach to demonstrating outstanding array performance with the implementation of FTFPV technology. Recent studies indicate that an advanced UltraFlex solar array populated with 15% efficient thin film cells can achieve over 200 W/kg EOL. An overview on the status of hardware development and the future potential of this technology is presented.

White, Steve↗
DOE OSTI2020

Device Performance of Emerging Photovoltaic Materials (Version 1)

Abstract Emerging photovoltaics (PVs) focus on a variety of applications complementing large scale electricity generation. Organic, dye‐sensitized, and some perovskite solar cells are considered in building integration, greenhouses, wearable, and indoor applications, thereby motivating research on flexible, transparent, semitransparent, and multi‐junction PVs. Nevertheless, it can be very time consuming to find or develop an up‐to‐date overview of the state‐of‐the‐art performance for these systems and applications. Two important resources for recording research cells efficiencies are the National Renewable Energy Laboratory chart and the efficiency tables compiled biannually by Martin Green and colleagues. Both publications provide an effective coverage over the established technologies, bridging research and industry. An alternative approach is proposed here summarizing the best reports in the diverse research subjects for emerging PVs. Best performance parameters are provided as a function of the photovoltaic bandgap energy for each technology and application, and are put into perspective using, e.g., the Shockley–Queisser limit. In all cases, the reported data correspond to published and/or properly described certified results, with enough details provided for prospective data reproduction. Additionally, the stability test energy yield is included as an analysis parameter among state‐of‐the‐art emerging PVs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Bacterial microcompartments as a next-generation metabolic engineering tool: utilizing nature's solution for confining challenging catabolic pathways

Advancements in synthetic biology have facilitated the incorporation of heterologous metabolic pathways into various bacterial chassis, leading to the synthesis of targeted bioproducts. However, total output from heterologous production pathways can suffer from low flux, enzyme promiscuity, formation of toxic intermediates, or intermediate loss to competing reactions, which ultimately hinder their full potential. The self-assembling, easy-to-modify, protein-based bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) offer a sophisticated way to overcome these obstacles by acting as an autonomous catalytic module decoupled from the cell's regulatory and metabolic networks. More than a decade of fundamental research on various types of BMCs, particularly structural studies of shells and their self-assembly, the recruitment of enzymes to BMC shell scaffolds, and the involvement of ancillary proteins such as transporters, regulators, and activating enzymes in the integration of BMCs into the cell's metabolism, has significantly moved the field forward. These advances have enabled bioengineers to design synthetic multi-enzyme BMCs to promote ethanol or hydrogen production, increase cellular polyphosphate levels, and convert glycerol to propanediol or formate to pyruvate. These pioneering efforts demonstrate the enormous potential of synthetic BMCs to encapsulate non-native multi-enzyme biochemical pathways for the synthesis of high-value products.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1992

Spatial and temporal adaptive procedures for the unsteady aerodynamic analysis of airfoils using unstructured meshes

An algorithm which combines spatial and temporal adaption for the time integration of the two dimensional Euler equations on unstructured meshes of triangles is presented. Spatial adaption involves mesh enrichment to add elements in high gradient regions of the flow and mesh coarsening to remove elements where they are no longer needed. Temporal adaption is a time accurate, local time stepping procedure which integrates the flow equations in each cell according to the local numerical stability constraint. The flow solver utilizes a four stage Runge-Kutta time integration scheme with an upwind flux-split spatial discretization. Results obtained using spatial and temporal adaption indicate that highly accurate solutions can be obtained with a significant savings of computing time over global time stepping.

Hooker, John R.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Direct Utilization of Pure and Denatured Ethanol in Metal Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Metal supported solid oxide fuel cells (MS-SOFC) are integrated with internal reforming catalyst for direct utilization of ethanol to generate electricity. MS-SOFCs are operated up to 500 h at 700°C, with water-ethanol blend fuel using high-purity ethanol and denatured ethanol. Performance and durability with denatured ethanol varies dramatically with the composition of the denaturant. Cells operated with three denatured ethanol fuels containing small amount of methanol, isopropanol, and denatonium benzoate demonstrate similar and relative stable performance after stabilization, suggesting that these fuels are fit for MS-SOFC operation. No or minimum carbon deposits are observed on the high entropy alloy-based reforming catalyst layer. Denatured ethanol containing gasoline and toluene leads to fast degradation. Here, MS-SOFCs are promising for direct utilization of denatured ethanol, offering a path to rapid-start, carbon-neutral operation with widely-available fuels.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
NASA NTRS1991

A high-performance photovoltaic concentrator array - The mini-dome Fresnel lens concentrator with 30 percent efficient GaAs/GaSb tandem cells

A high-efficiency, lightweight space photovoltaic concentrator array is described. Previous work on the minidome Fresnel lens concentrator concept is being integrated with Boeing's 30 percent efficient tandem GaAs/GaSb concentrator cells into a high-performance photovoltaic array. Calculations indicate that, in the near term, such an array can achieve 300 W/sq m at a specific power of 100 W/kg. Emphasis of the program has now shifted to integrating the concentrator lens, tandem cell, and supporting panel structure into a space-qualifiable array. A description is presented of the current status of component and prototype panel testing and the development of a flight panel for the Photovoltaic Array Space Power Plus Diagnostics (PASP PLUS) flight experiment.

Piszczor, M. F.↗