Modular Thin-film Solar Array for Responsive Space Missions

In order to provide rapid and affordable spacecraft platforms, a low cost solution is needed for conventional solar arrays. Conventional rigid solar arrays do not have the specific power required to meet the ever increasing needs for the surveillance and tracking sensors proposed for space-based missile defense. Conventional arrays are also extremely cost and schedule prohibitive for smaller, faster missions. Thin film photovoltaic solar arrays provide a lightweight, low cost solution to provide power generation on board future experimental and operational space-based platforms. MicroSat Systems, Inc. (MSI) has developed the Fold Integrated Thin-film Stiffener (FITS) modular solar array deployment system which dramatically reduces cost, mass and manufacturing time enabling the use of the newest and lightest thin-film photovoltaic (TFPV) technologies. FITS innovative design uses non-traditional, thin, foldable stiffeners to passively deploy and stiffen the array, resulting in greater than 50% improvement over the system metrics of state-of-the-art systems. At currently available TFPV efficiencies, MSI’s FITS system has a stowed volumetric power of greater than 45 kW/m3, and a specific power greater than 150 W/kg. As TFPV efficiencies continue to rise and monolithic integration is introduced, these metrics could go as high as 90 kW/m3 and 600 W/kg.