Deployable Solar Energy Generators for Deep Space Cubesats

Cubesats require highly compact technologies to maximize their effectiveness. As cubesats are expected to be low-cost and, relative to the space industry, mass produced, their technologies should be simple to manufacture, yet achieve aerospace quality standards. This proposal aims to describe a novel high-efficiency (i.e., comparable to solar panels) fabricated power supply for cubesats and other small satellites that has marked advantages over solar photovoltaic cells. Nanohmics Inc. proposes to develop and test a compact, high efficiency solar thermoelectric generator. The technology is amenable to mass manufacturing and is based on recent development successes at Nanohmics: thermoelectrics development and coatings to maximize emissivity. On a space vehicle, the energy generator would be deployable in a number of ways including a folding fan-like unpacking or other compact designs.