Flexible Solar Array of Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator "IKAROS"

概要

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Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun (IKAROS) was launched in May, 2010. IKAROS deployed its membrane in space and generated electricity using its thin-film solar cells on the sail membrane. This paper focused on the fabrication process of the flight model of the thin-film solar cell array. IKAROS had 144 modules of thin-film solar cells with 360 W in total output power. One module was fabricated by stacking 4 layers; protective film, thin-film solar cell, anti-warpage layer and sail membrane. The size of one module is 220 mm x 300 mm x 152.5 μm. They were bonded each other with silicon glue. The connection between module and module or between module and sail membrane were also bonded with silicon glue. The fabricated thin-film solar cell array was examined from the point of possible damages during the fabrication process, resulting in no critical damage to the thin-film solar cell array. Moreover, it successfully generated in the orbit, in comparison to the assumed power generation from the results of the generation test before the launch.
THE JAPAN SOCIETY FOR AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE SCIENCESの論文