Thin film photovoltaics for space applications

摘要

Future NASA and Air Force space missions are incredibly diverse. Air Force missions encompass both hundreds of kilowatt arrays to tens of watt arrays in various earth orbits. While NASA missions also have small to very large power needs there are additional unique requirements to provide power for near sun missions, and planetary exploration including orbiters, landers and rovers both to the inner planets and the outer planets with a major emphasis on Mars. Missions requiring high power will fall into roughly three categories: electric propulsion, whether inter-orbit (LEO to GEO, e.g.) or from the earth to either the moon or Mars; surface power systems to sustain an outpost and eventually a permanent colony on the surface of either body; and finally, large earth orbiting power stations which can serve as central utilities for other orbiting spacecraft, or perhaps even for sending power to the earth itself NASA, primarily to see if the technical capability exists to launch and operate such systems at a reasonable cost, has recently studied the latter application. This paper will discuss the current state-of-the-art, address some of the technology development issues required to make thin film photovoltaics a viable choice for future space power systems, and conclude with related technology that may be enabling for other space power missions.