Photovoltaic and Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting for Satellites

New methods to generate additional power and reduce the infrared signature of solar arrays on military satellites will be developed through this Space Force program.  Working with the thermoelectric device group at Penn State, NanoSonic will make and test the power conversion efficiency of photovoltaic array coupons assembled from inverted metamorphic multijunction solar coverglass interconnected cell strings obtained from the SolAero division of Rocketlabusa. The power generation efficiency of coupons will be tested by themselves and in combination with high efficiency thermoelectric generators fabricated by Penn State and with phase change materials designed and fabricated by NanoSonic and Penn State.  Testing will be performed using an Angstrom Designs programmable light emitting diode solar simulator with thermal control of the device under test.  The thermoelectric generators can be used in the Seebeck mode to generate additional power and in the Peltier mode to reduce the temperature of the back sides of the photovoltaic coupons which will both increase the power conversion efficiency of the coupons and reduce their infrared signatures. Phase change materials will be used to power the thermoelectric generators during periods when the satellite is in the earth’s shadow and the photovoltaic array does not generate power.