Solar Array for a Starshade Inner Disk

This Ph1 program will focus on integrating viable solar cell blanket assemblies onto the inner disk of a starshade. The Phase I will design and analyze structural interfaces, harness requirements, harness routing, survival and durability for packaging, launch and on-orbit environmental requirements. The program will involve numerous hardware demonstration units and testing. The inner disk of the baseline starshade is approximately 20 m in diameter. This large surface area is an ideal location for solar arrays which will allow for solar electric propulsion. SEP will allow the starshade to transition to new orbit positions relative to the telescope more efficiently which will expand the exoplanet science during the mission lifetime.

Technology developed during this SBIR program will be directly applied to any NASA telescope program involved with exoplanet discovery and characterization that needs an external occulter, or Starshade. The Exo-S STDT Final Report identified a potential rendezvous mission with WFIRST/AFTA because it is a large astrophysics telescope capable of supporting direct imaging with a starshade, and the current timing of its development fits with a potential starshade development and launch. Beyond exoplanet missions the solar array system design would apply to any mission needing high power to justify solar electric propulsion. The unique annular design with offset spokes provides stiffness and strength levels that would exceed current state of the art SEP array designs at comparable power levels. The inner disk packages by spiral wrapping around a central hub which provides efficient stowage volumes and fits well within cylindrical fairings. It also yields a stowed design with high modal frequencies and can be constrained and released with a simple mechanism.

This solar array system would apply to any commercial or DOD application where a high stiffness, high strength solar array is needed. The design is scalable up to 20 to 30 m diameters which could achieve up to 300 KW. Arrays of this size can power solar electric propulsion systems. The strength and stiffness will allow high acceleration and maneuver loads. The ability to package efficiently and also achieve high stowed modal frequencies may also be enabling for some applications.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.