100X-500X Concentrator Photovoltaic Space Solar Array System

ABSTRACT: Deployable Space Systems, Inc. (DSS), in partnership with Entech Solar (ENTECH) and Emcore Photovoltaics (EMCORE), will focus this effort on the development of a new innovative 100X-500X concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar array technology (termed CPV-Array). The proposed CPV-Array technology embodiment is a new lightweight high-performance point-focus refractive Fresnel lens concentrator space solar array that leverages from both ENTECH"s and EMCORE"s successful terrestrial CPV products, ENTECH"s space-flight heritage derived from the successful NASA NMP DS1 and Air Force PASP+ technology demonstration experiments/missions, and DSS"s innovative deployable solar array structural platform technologies. The proposed CPV-Array technology promises to provide>40% efficiency under AM0 concentration, 100X to 500X concentration ratio capability, accommodate +/- 2 degrees off-pointing with less than 10% power loss, scalability to high power (100kW+ array size), tolerance to high radiation and natural/manmade environmental events, passively controlled low-operating temperature, affordability (up to>50% projected cost savings at the array level), lightweight (projected>300 W/kg BOL), high voltage operability (100V to 300V+), compact stowage volume, and operability in a 5-yr LEO or 15-yr GEO environment. BENEFIT: The proposed technology is applicable to all future DoD, NASA and commercial missions (including communications and earth observation) as a direct replacement for existing technologies. The proposed technology promises to provide the DoD with a near-term and low-risk solar array system for future applications and will provide revolutionary performance beyond current state-of-the-art in terms of high operating efficiency, better cost-effective utilization of expensive ultra-high efficiency photovoltaic devices, higher specific power / lightweight, affordability, broad modularity and scalability, high voltage operability, high deployed stiffness/strength, compact stowage volume, simplicity and high reliability, and operability in a 5-year LEO or 15-year GEO mission environment. The successfully developed technology will provide the end-user with mission-enabling benefits such as increased payload mass/volume capability, ultra-high power capability, lower mission/spacecraft costs, and overall improved/enhanced mission capability.