Development of New Type of Flexible Solar Array for Constellations up to 5 kW

To develop at low cost, low stowage volume, flexible solar arrays for constellations with power requirements of up to 5 kW.

Based on flexible PVA equipped blankets, solar array concepts are to be devised, which are low in cost and which can pack tightly into limited stowed volumes (target range 25-40 kW/m3). This constitutes a leap of around one order of magnitude, compared to equivalent rigid panel arrays.This activity encompasses the following tasks:- Investigation of different deployment schemes, such as small scale support booms/masts.- Preliminary design of solar array concept.- Prediction of electrical performance, both at beginning of life (BOL) and end of life (EOL).- Performing mechanical analyses, in order to assess strength, stiffness and deployment dynamics.- Deriving estimates of mass and inertia.- Designing. Manufacturing and testing of breadboard models, in order to verify the preliminary feasibility of the solar array concept (e.g. deployment concept).