Rapid Calibration of Space Solar Cells in Suborbital Environments

The goal of this project is to demonstrate through stratospheric balloon flights the applicability of a lightweight, low cost, compact and scalable solar cell measurement module for performing eventual high-altitude balloon solar cell calibration. The flight demonstrations are relevant to the development of high-efficiency, radiation hard solar cells in that they will pave the way towards obtaining the data needed for rapid and accurate benchmarking of the latest high-efficiency technologies. The module and data will have cross-cutting interest throughout the US space industry, since satellite designers need accurate data to accurately size solar arrays for their applications and mission profiles. Problem Statement Obtaining performance data on high-efficiency space solar cells in a lab environment is fundamental to development and improvement of these technologies for future Earth and planetary missions. Technology Maturation The main goals of the 1-year project are to: 1. Demonstrate the compact payload can obtain precision measurements of the performance output of high-efficiency solar cell test samples with their temperatures in the stratosphere from suborbital balloon platforms. The module has completed lab tests and is currently at TRL 4. 2. Retrieve the payload following flights and perform comparisons to baseline lab measurements.

This platform will benefit the industry and future NASA in space power generation by providing a compact, low cost, low weight means for measurement of solar cell performance in a space-like environment. Future Customers The module and data will have cross-cutting interest throughout the US space industry, since satellite designers need accurate data to accurately size solar arrays for their applications and mission profiles. Maturation of the module will also be of interest to high altitude flight providers, academic institutions, and other national labs engaged in photovoltaic research and development, so that they can reliably obtain test data.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — 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.

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