The activity has the following two main objectives:1. To complete, according to ECSS-E-ST-20-08C Rev.1, the qualification of 3G30 solar cell, including the integral diode, with fully European epitaxial growth and European Germanium substrate.2. To complete the full qualification of the 3G30 solar cell assembly according to ECSS-E-ST-20-08C Rev.1 for LEO environment.

 

 

The 3G30 solar cell represents the state of the art solar cell technology with the worldwide highest electrical performance (30% BoL Efficiency); the cell has been developped mainly in the frame of ESA TRP.

 

This solar cell is now baselined for all near future ESA missions and is being considered as baseline for most of the future commerical telecom missions.

 

This activity aims to produce the necessary samples for the complete qualification and to perform the necessary remaining tests to achieve the complete qualification of the solar cell and solar cell assembly, in line with the ECSS-E-ST-20-08C Rev.1.

 

The activity includes the following tasks:

 

• The production of the bare solar cells in line with the requirement of the ECSS-E-ST-20-08C Rev.1.

 

• Completion of qualification tests of bare solar cells, in particular integral diodes both for GEO and LEO environments.

 

• Completion of solar cell assembly qualification for LEO.

 

• Prepration of qualification reports.