Going for the long term: Increased automation in spacecraft power systems to lengthen the duration of voyages is being developed

摘要

To date Skylab has been the only high power, long duration mission flown by NASA. Launched in 1973, Skylab was designed to operate with a photovoltaic/NiCd battery system providing nominally 8 kW of electrical power to the bus. During the nine month total mission time, up to 10 people (average) were required around the clock to operate the power system.