Power Reduction of Solar Arrays by Arcing Under Simulated Geosynchronous Orbit Environment

摘要

Engineering Test Satellite Ⅷ, which is a geosynchronous orbit satellite operated with 110-V bus voltage, will be launched in 2004. Laboratory tests on charging and arcing of engineering-test-satellite solar arrays are carried out in a simulated geosynchronous orbit environment irradiating a solar-array test coupon with an electron beam in a vacuum chamber. Long-duration experiments are carried out using the insulation-reinforced coupons with thick silicon adhesive layer to verify the insulation capability. The test coupons have the electric power drop caused by contamination of the coverglass surface and the destructive damage of cell. The power drop is not related to voltage between adjacent cell strings. It is confirmed that the power drop occurs regardless of the thickness of adhesive layer, although thick room-temperature-vulcanization silicon adhesive coating leads to more contamination. Based on the test results, the final array design for Engineering Test Satellite Ⅷ is determined.