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SCARLET Photovoltaic Concentrator Array Selected for Flight Under NASA's New Millennium ProgramThe NASA Lewis Research Center continues to demonstrate its expertise in the development and implementation of advanced space power systems. For example, during the past year, the NASA New Millennium Program selected the Solar Concentrator Array with Refractive Linear Element Technology (SCARLET) photovoltaic array as the power system for its Deep Space-1 (DS-1) mission. This Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) managed DS-1 mission, which represents the first operational flight of a photovoltaic concentrator array, will provide a baseline for the use of this technology in a variety of future government and commercial applications. SCARLET is a joint NASA Lewis/Ballistic Missile Defense Organization program to develop advanced photovoltaic array technology that uses a unique refractive concentrator design to focus sunlight onto a line of photovoltaic cells located below the optical element. The general concept is based on previous work conducted at Lewis under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with AEC-Able Engineering, Inc., for the Multiple Experiments to Earth Orbit and Return (METEOR) spacecraft. The SCARLET II design selected by the New Millennium Program is a direct adaptation of the smaller SCARLET I array built for METEOR. Even though SCARLET I was lost during a launch failure in October 1995, the hardware (designed, built, and flight qualified within 6 months) provided invaluable information and experience that led to the selection of this technology as the primary power source for DS-1.
Document ID
20050177916
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Other
Authors
Piszczor, Michael F., Jr.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
September 7, 2013
Publication Date
March 1, 1997
Publication Information
Publication: Research and Technology 1996
Subject Category
Electronics And Electrical Engineering
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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