MegaFlex Solar Array Scale-Up, up to 175kW per Wing

NASA has near-term needs for solar electric propulsion (SEP) power sources from 5 to 30 kW and longer term goals for SEP tugs as large as 300 kW and beyond. UltraFlex is a high-TRL solar array technology that spans the initial range of power levels with as-yet unmatched performance in specific power, stiffness, and strength. This technology has been to Mars, and is under development for the NASA Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) and the Cygnus ISS supply vehicle by Orbital Sciences. MegaFlex is UltraFlex technology, with two enhancements to allow a 2-wing configuration to provide power levels up to 350 kW with near-term cell efficiencies. This technology meets SEP development needs for true scalability and allows for complete ground test and validation of the entire wing in existing facilities. Given the compaction capabilities, MegaFlex is an enabling technology for any mission where the power needed is more than the stowage volume allows with standard technologies. MegaFlex technology would also benefit lower power missions where higher compaction would allow use of a smaller, and less expensive, launch vehicle. MegaFlex achieves similar performance characteristics as UltraFlex with specific power up to 200 W/kg (versus 30-70 W/kg) and also higher stiffness (>3x) and strength (>5x) than conventional arrays.

MegaFlex achieves power levels up to 175kW per wing and is enabling technology for NASA SEP missions. Two wings can provide up to 350kW for a SEP tug and more wings can be added to a spacecraft to further increase available power. Beyond SEP, MegaFlex can support any mission with large power requirements using currently available technology, launch vehicles and test facilities. In addition to enabling high power missions, MegaFlex technology also allows higher compaction for smaller arrays. This enables better array packaging and could potentially reduce spacecrafts sizes for a given power need, thus fitting into smaller launch vehicles for cost savings.

The same benefits that apply to NASA also apply to commercial applications. MegaFlex enables the greatest power in the largest existing launch vehicles and ground test facilities for high power missions and also enables increased stowed compaction for lower power missions. These benefits immediately apply to vehicles such as Lockheed Martin's Orion and Orbital's Cygnus and will apply in the future to commercial missions that require greater total power, higher compaction, greater specific power, higher stiffness or higher strength than can be achieved with conventional array technology.

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