Flexible blanket GaAs/Ge array nears end of tests

摘要

Redondo Beach, CA—Engineers at TRW Space & Electronics Group are completing tests on what the company describes as the first operational flexible blanket solar array made from gallium arsenide germanium (GaAs/Ge). Generating 25 to 35% more energy per pound than an array made from conventional silicon cells, the 200 x 351-inch array consists of 26 panels and 36,480 cells, each measuring 1.60 x 0.95 inch. With harnesses it weighs approximately 160 lb, some 20 to 25% lighter than a comparable array built using silicon technology.