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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2000

Development of an Electrostatically Clean Solar Array Panel

The results of design, analysis, and qualification of an Electrostatically Clean Solar Array (ECSA) panel are described. The objective of the ECSA design is to provide an electrostatic environment that does not interfere with sensitive instruments on scientific spacecraft. The ECSA design uses large, ITO-coated coverglasses that cover multiple solar cells, an aperture grid that covers the intercell areas, stress-relieved interconnects for connecting the aperture grid to the coverglasses, and edge clips to provides an electromagnetically shielded enclosure for the solar array active circuitry. Qualification coupons were fabricated and tested for photovoltaic response, conductivity, and survivability to launch acoustic and thermal cycling environments simulating LEO and GEO missions. The benefits of reducing solar panel interaction with the space environment are also discussed.

Stern, Theodore G.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Solar Powered Automobile Interior Climate Control System

There is provided a climate control system for a parked vehicle that includes a solar panel, thermostatic switch, fans, and thermoelectric coolers. The solar panel can serve as the sole source of electricity for the system. The system affords convenient installation and removal by including solar panels that are removably attached to the exterior of a vehicle. A connecting wire electrically connects the solar panels to a housing that is removably mounted to a partially opened window on the vehicle. The thermostatic switch, fans, and thermoelectric coolers are included within the housing. The thermostatic switch alternates the direction of the current flow through the thermoelectric coolers to selectively heat or cool the interior of the vehicle. The interior surface of the thermoelectric coolers are in contact with interior heat sinks that have air circulated across them by an interior fan. Similarly, the exterior surface of the thermoelectric coolers are in contact with exterior heat sinks that have air circulated across them by an exterior fan.

Richard T Howard↗
NASA NTRS2016

Solar Cell Panel and the Method for Manufacturing the Same

According to an aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a solar cell panel and a method for manufacturing the same. The solar cell panel comprises: a solar cell for generating electric power from sunlight; a coverglass for covering the solar cell; transparent shims, which are disposed between the solar cell and the coverglass at the points where the distance between the solar cell and the coverglass needs to be controlled, and form a space between the solar cell and the coverglass; and adhesive layer, which fills the space between the solar cell and the coverglass and has the thickness the same as that of the transparent shims.

Richards, Benjamin C.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Solar Array Panels With Dust-Removal Capability

It has been proposed to incorporate piezoelectric vibrational actuators into the structural supports of solar photovoltaic panels, for the purpose of occasionally inducing vibrations in the panels in order to loosen accumulated dust. Provided that the panels were tilted, the loosened dust would slide off under its own weight. Originally aimed at preventing obscuration of photovoltaic cells by dust accumulating in the Martian environment, the proposal may also offer an option for the design of solar photovoltaic panels for unattended operation at remote locations on Earth. The figure depicts a typical lightweight solar photovoltaic panel comprising a backside grid of structural spars that support a thin face sheet that, in turn, supports an array of photovoltaic cells on the front side. The backside structure includes node points where several spars intersect. According to the proposal, piezoelectric buzzers would be attached to the node points. The process of designing the panel would be an iterative one that would include computational simulation of the vibrations by use of finite- element analysis to guide the selection of the vibrational frequency of the actuators and the cross sections of the spars to maximize the agitation of dust.

Dawson, Stephen↗
NASA NTRS1980

A computer model of solar panel-plasma interactions

High power solar arrays for satellite power systems are presently being planned with dimensions of kilometers, and with tens of kilovolts distributed over their surface. Such systems face many plasma interaction problems, such as power leakage to the plasma, particle focusing, and anomalous arcing. These effects cannot be adequately modeled without detailed knowledge of the plasma sheath structure and space charge effects. Laboratory studies of 1 by 10 meter solar array in a simulated low Earth orbit plasma are discussed. The plasma screening process is discussed, program theory is outlined, and a series of calibration models is presented. These models are designed to demonstrate that PANEL is capable of accurate self consistant space charge calculations. Such models include PANEL predictions for the Child-Langmuir diode problem.

Cooke, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Solar concentrator panel and gore testing in the JPL 25-foot space simulator

The optical imaging characteristics of parabolic solar concentrator panels (or gores) have been measured using the optical beam of the JPL 25-foot space simulator. The simulator optical beam has been characterized, and the virtual source position and size have been determined. These data were used to define the optical test geometry. The point source image size and focal length have been determined for several panels. A flux distribution of a typical solar concentrator has been estimated from these data. Aperture photographs of the panels were used to determine the magnitude and characteristics of the reflecting surface errors. This measurement technique has proven to be highly successful at determining the optical characteristics of solar concentrator panels.

Dennison, E. W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Low-cost production of solar-cell panels

Large-scale production model combines most modern manufacturing techniques to produce silicon-solar-cell panels of low costs by 1982. Model proposes facility capable of operating around the clock with annual production capacity of 20 W of solar cell panels.

Bickler, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A candidate low-cost processing sequence for terrestrial silicon solar cell panel

Manufacturing sequence for silicon solar cells using Czochralsky crystal growing techniques in order to produce at a rate of 20 MW per year on a 24-hour per day basis is discussed. Cost analysis of the manufacturing is presented and consideration is given to the following processing decision categories of the manufacturing of an unencapsulated solar cell from a silicon wafer: (1) treatment of the optical surface; (2) formation of the junction(s); and (3) metallization of electrical collectors. The manufacturing of encapsulated solar modules from solar cells, using two glass plates, a low iron front surface, and a standard float glass back plate, is described. Totaling the three major activities of wafer making, cell manufacturing, and module fabrication, the resulting contribution to module price will be 1.945 $/watt.

Bickler, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Electrostatic Discharge Testing of Carbon Composite Solar Array Panels for the Europa Mission to Jupiter

Carbon composite solar array panel coupons similar to those considered for use on the planned NASA Europa Mission were exposed to energetic electrons to observe the size and rate of electrostatic discharge production. The discharge size and rate were found to be primarily dependent on the quantity of dielectric binder pooled on the surface of the sample. Cooling the samples to cryogenic temperatures increased the size of discharges but an end of mission radiation dose had only minimal effects. Samples were composed of M55J carbon composite impregnated with an RS3 binder. Additional samples tested included a co-cured Kapton surface.

Green, Nelson W.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Multiple-Panel Cylindrical Solar Concentrator

Trough composed of many panels concentrates Sun's energy on solar cells, even when trough is not pointed directly at Sun. Tolerates deviation as great as 5 degrees from direction of sun. For terrestrial applications, multiple-flat-plate design offers potential cost reduction and ease of fabrication.

Brown, E. M.↗
NASA NTRS2003

The Stardust solar array

The Stardust program, part of NASA's Discovery Missions was launched on February 7. 1999. It's seven-year mission is to gather interstellar dust and material from the comet Wild-2 and return the material to earth in January 2006. In order to accomplish this mission, the satellite will orbit the sun a total of three times, traversing distances from a little under 1 AU to 2.7 AU. On April 18 2002 , the Stardust spacecraft reached its furthest distance and broke the record for being the farthest spacecraft from the sun powered by solar energy, The Stardust solar panels were built with standard off the shelf 10 Ohm-cm high efficiency silicon solar cells. These solar cells are relatively inexpensive and have shown excellent characteristics under LILT conditions. In order to accommodate the varying temperature and intensity conditions on the electrical power subsystem, an electronic switch box was designed to reconfigure the string length and number of swings depending on the mission phase. This box allowed the use of an inexpensive direct energy transfer system for the electrical power system architecture. The solar panels and electrical power system have met all requirements. Telemetry data from the solar panels at 2.7 AU are in excellent agreement with flight predictions.

Stardust interstellar dust Wild-2 solar panels sol↗
NASA NTRS1995

Vehicle Tracking System using Nanotechnology Satellites and Tags

This paper describes a joint project to design, develop, and deploy a satellite based tracking system incorporating micro-nanotechnology components. The system consists of a constellation of 'nanosats', a satellite command station and data collection sites, and a large number of low-cost electronic 'tags'. Both government and commercial applications are envisioned for the satellite based tracking system. The projected low price for the tracking service is made possible by the lightweight nanosats and inexpensive electronic tags which use high production volume single chip transceivers and microprocessor devices. The nanosat consists of a five inch aluminum cube with body mounted solar panels (GaAs solar cells) on all six faces. A UHF turnstile antenna and a simple, spring release mechanism complete the external configuration of the spacecraft.

Lorenzini, Dino A.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Solar Cycle Predictions

Solar cycle predictions are needed to plan long-term space missions; just like weather predictions are needed to plan the launch. Fleets of satellites circle the Earth collecting many types of science data, protecting astronauts, and relaying information. All of these satellites are sensitive at some level to solar cycle effects. Predictions of drag on LEO spacecraft are one of the most important. Launching a satellite with less propellant can mean a higher orbit, but unanticipated solar activity and increased drag can make that a Pyrrhic victory as you consume the reduced propellant load more rapidly. Energetic events at the Sun can produce crippling radiation storms that endanger all assets in space. Solar cycle predictions also anticipate the shortwave emissions that cause degradation of solar panels. Testing solar dynamo theories by quantitative predictions of what will happen in 5-20 years is the next arena for solar cycle predictions. A summary and analysis of 75 predictions of the amplitude of the upcoming Solar Cycle 24 is presented. The current state of solar cycle predictions and some anticipations how those predictions could be made more accurate in the future will be discussed.

Pesnell, William Dean↗
NASA NTRS2014

Lunar Flashlight: Mapping Lunar Surface Volatiles Using a Cubesat

Water ice and other volatiles may be located in the Moon's polar regions, with sufficient quantities for in situ extraction and utilization by future human and robotic missions. Evidence from orbiting spacecraft and the LCROSS impactor suggests the presence of surface and/or nearsurface volatiles, including water ice. These deposits are of interest to human exploration to understand their potential for use by astronauts. Understanding the composition, quantity, distribution, and form of water/H species and other volatiles associated with lunar cold traps is identified as a NASA Strategic Knowledge Gap (SKG) for Human Exploration. These polar volatile deposits could also reveal important information about the delivery of water to the Earth- Moon system, so are of scientific interest. The scientific exploration of the lunar polar regions was one of the key recommendations of the Planetary Science Decadal Survey. In order to address NASA's SKGs, the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) program selected three lowcost 6-U CubeSat missions for launch as secondary payloads on the first test flight (EM1) of the Space Launch System (SLS) scheduled for 2017. The Lunar Flashlight mission was selected as one of these missions, specifically to address the SKG associated with lunar volatiles. Development of the Lunar Flashlight CubeSat concept leverages JPL's Interplanetary Nano- Spacecraft Pathfinder In Relevant Environment (INSPIRE) mission, MSFC's intimate knowledge of the Space Launch System and EM-1 mission, small business development of solar sail and electric propulsion hardware, and JPL experience with specialized miniature sensors. The goal of Lunar Flashlight is to determine the presence or absence of exposed water ice and its physical state, and map its concentration at the kilometer scale within the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar south pole. After being ejected in cislunar space by SLS, Lunar Flashlight deploys its solar panels and solar sail and maneuvers into a low-energy transfer to lunar orbit. The solar sail and attitude control system work to bring the satellite into an elliptical polar orbit spiraling down to a perilune of 30-10 km above the south pole for data collection. Lunar Flashlight uses its solar sail to shine reflected sunlight into permanently shadowed regions, measuring surface albedo with a four-filter point spectrometer at 1.1, 1.5 1.9, and 2.0 microns. Water ice will be distinguished from dry regolith from these measurements in two ways: 1) spatial variations in absolute reflectance (water ice is much brighter in the continuum channels), and 2) reflectance ratios between absorption and continuum channels. Derived reflectance and reflectance ratios will be mapped onto the lunar surface in order to distinguish the composition of the PSRs from that of the sunlit terrain. Lunar Flashlight enables a low-cost path to in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) by identifying operationally useful deposits (if there are any), which is a game-changing capability for expanded human exploration.

Cohen, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Solar-diffuser panel and ratioing radiometer approach to satellite sensor on-board calibration

The use of a solar-diffuser panel is a desirable approach to the on-board absolute radiometric calibration of satellite multispectral sensors used for earth observation in the solar reflective spectral range. It provides a full aperture, full field, end-to-end calibration near the top of the sensor's dynamic range and across its entire spectral response range. A serious drawback is that the panel's reflectance, and the response of any simple detector used to monitor its reflectance may change with time. This paper briefly reviews some preflight and on-board methods for absolute calibration and introduces the ratioing-radiometer concept in which the radiance of the panel is ratioed with respect to the solar irradiance at the time the multispectral sensor is viewing the panel in its calibration mode.

Slater, Philip N.↗