LILT QUALIFICATION TEST RESULTS OF SILICON 10LITHI-ETA~R3 SOLAR CELLS

摘要

The aim of this paper is to provide a consistent and reliable collection of solar cell performance data for interplanetary missions, by presenting the results of an extensive test campaign carried out in the frame of the qualification of the 10LiTHI-ETA~(~R)3-ID solar cells for the Rosetta mission. The 10LiTHI-ETA~(~R)3-ID silicon cells have been developed with specific features to reduce loss currents and to eliminate the fill factor degradation in low intensity & low temperature (LILT) conditions. Rosetta, the ESA mission for the rendezvous and in-situ measurements of the comet P/Wirtanen, will experience a very large variation of sun distance, during its almost 11 years life time (0.9 AU to 5.25 AU), which generated a very challenging set of requirements for the qualification of the solar cells, in terms of sun intensities, temperatures and radiation. The qualification was successful and, under several test conditions, the cells performed better than predicted.