First experiment of Argentine solar cells in space: modules fabrication, characterisation, and telemetry data analysis from SAC-A satellite

摘要

On December 1998, the Endeavour space shuttle launched the Argentine satellite SAC-A. Among several technological experiments, this satellite included a set of crystalline silicon solar cells fabricated in Argentina to test them in the space environment. In this paper, we describe the experiments associated with these solar cells and analyse the corresponding telemetry data received from January to July 1999. Fabrication and characterisation of modules are presented. Some preliminary radiation damage experiments using 10 MeV protons supplied by a cyclotron accelerator were also performed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. [References: 14]