Photovoltaics for Space

Key Issues, Missions and Alternative Technologies

1st Edition - October 26, 2022
Imprint: Elsevier
Editors: Sheila G. Bailey, Aloysius F. Hepp, Dale Ferguson, Ryne P. Raffaelle, Steven M. Durbin
Language: English
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 2 3 3 0 0 - 9
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 2 3 3 0 1 - 6

PV has traditionally been used for electric power in space. Solar panels on spacecraft are usually the sole source of power to run the sensors, active heating and cooling, and co… Read more

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PV has traditionally been used for electric power in space. Solar panels on spacecraft are usually the sole source of power to run the sensors, active heating and cooling, and communications. Photovoltaics for Space: Key Issues, Missions and Alternative Technologies provides an overview of the challenges to efficiently produce solar power in near-Earth space and beyond: the materials and device architectures that have been developed to surmount these environmental and mission-specific barriers. The book is organized in four sections consisting of detailed introductory and background content as well as a collection of in-depth space environment, materials processing, technology, and mission overviews by international experts. This book will detail how to design and optimize a space power system’s performance for power-to-weight ratio, effectiveness at end of operational life (EOL) compared to beginning of operational life (BOL), and specific mission objectives and goals.

This book outlines the knowledge required for practitioners and advanced students interested in learning about the background, materials, devices, environmental challenges, missions, and future for photovoltaics for space exploration.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
List of contributors
Biographies
Preface
Part 1. Introduction: Technologies, issues, and applications
Chapter one. An introduction to space photovoltaics: Technologies, issues, and missions
1.1. Introduction to the photovoltaic effect and solar cell∗
1.2. First-generation space photovoltaics: Missions, technologies, and issues
1.3. The next era in space: New materials and missions in low-earth orbit
1.4. Into the twenty-first century: New device and advanced materials technologies
1.5. Exploration of Mars and beyond: Notable solar-powered spacecraft
1.6. Conclusions
Chapter two. Space solar arrays and spacecraft charging
2.1. Introduction to spacecraft charging
2.2. Arcing: Effects, standards, and mitigation
2.3. Models of environment and charging
2.4. Conclusions: TRhe necessity for testing
Chapter three. Air mass zero (AM0) studies and solar cell calibration
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Primary calibration
3.3. Secondary calibration and measurements of multi-junction solar cells
3.4. Conclusions
Chapter four. Space applications of III-V single- and multijunction solar cells
4.1. Space solar cells: Applications and challenges
4.2. Physics of single-junction solar cells
4.3. Silicon and gallium arsenide-based single-junction solar cells
4.4. Physics of multijunction solar cells
4.5. Indium gallium phosphide/gallium arsenide-based dual-junction solar cells
4.6. InGaP/GaAs/Ge-based triple-junction solar cells
4.7. Lattice-mismatched triple-junction solar cells
4.8. Lattice-mismatched quadruple (four)-junction solar cells
4.9. Lattice mismatched quintuple (five)-junction solar cells
4.10. Conclusions
Chapter Five. Perovskite solar cells: Background and prospects for space power applications
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Characteristics of perovskite solar cells
5.3. Use of perovskites for space power: Issues and opportunities for improvement
5.4. Conclusion
Chapter Six. Photovoltaics and nuclear energy conversion for space power: Background and issues
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Radiation damage
6.3. Radioisotopes
6.4. Energy conversion technologies
6.5. Conclusions
Part 2. New materials technologies and advanced processing
Chapter Seven. Perovskite solar cells on the horizon for space power systems
7.1. Background of perovskite solar cells
7.2. Defect tolerance and ion mobility
7.3. Particle radiation tolerance
7.4. Thermal stability
7.5. Conclusion and outlook
Chapter Eight. Thermophotovoltaic energy conversion in space
8.1. Introduction
8.2. Thermal-to-electric energy conversion in space
8.3. Overview of thermophotovoltaic energy conversion
8.4. Thermophotovoltaic systems for space applications
8.5. Conclusions
Chapter Nine. Thin-film materials for space power applications
9.1. Introduction
9.2. Materials, devices, and impact of the space environment
9.3. Thin-film solar cells in space: Past, present, and future
9.4. Conclusions
Chapter ten. Inverted lattice-matched GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAsSb triple-junction solar cells: Epitaxial lift-off thin-film devices and potential space applications
10.1. Introduction
10.2. Design and growth of GaInNAs 1.0-eV subcells
10.3. Hybrid growth approach for multijunction solar cells and epitaxial lift-off devices
10.4. Conclusion
Chapter Eleven. Summary of the design principles of betavoltaics and space applications
11.1. Nuclear batteries
11.2. Different types of nuclear batteries
11.3. Betavoltaic batteries
11.4. Basic operation of betavoltaic batteries
11.5. Radiation damage in betavoltaic batteries
11.6. Radioisotopes for betavoltaic batteries
11.7. Betavoltaic batteries: Results and analysis
11.8. Recent advances in betavoltaic batteries
11.9. Principles of betavoltaic battery design
11.10. Betavoltaic batteries for space applications
11.11. Conclusions
Part 3. Near-Earth and deep-space missions
Chapter Twelve. Solar array designs for deep space science missions
12.1. Introduction
12.2. Modern missions using multiple wings or paddles
12.3. Missions using single solar panels
12.4. Missions using body-mounted solar arrays
12.5. Rideshare missions
12.6. Future trends
12.7. Conclusion
Chapter Thirteen. Lunar science based on Apollo solar cell measurements
13.1. Introduction
13.2. Solar cells used for the Apollo 14 dust detector experiment
13.3. Details of solar cell data used in this study
13.4. Variations of output of Apollo 14 solar cells within a lunation period
13.5. Annual variations of the solar cell output on the Moon
13.6. Solar proton events: Long-term degradation of Apollo 14 silicon solar cells
13.7. Discussion and analysis
13.8. Conclusions
Chapter fourteen. Space photovoltaics for extreme high-temperature missions
14.1. Introduction
14.2. Solar cell operating temperature and efficiency
14.3. Temperature coefficient(s)
14.4. Approaches to solar arrays for near-Sun missions
14.5. Solar arrays with constant power at variable heliocentric distance
14.6. Thermal conversion for near-Sun missions
14.7. Earlier near-Sun missions
14.8. Parker Solar Probe
14.9. Photovoltaic power at Venus
14.10. Conclusions
Chapter fifteen. Space photovoltaic concentrators for outer planet and near-Sun missions using ultralight Fresnel lenses
15.1. Introduction and summary
15.2. A brief history of space PV concentrator technology
15.3. Description of the latest space Fresnel lens photovoltaic concentrators
15.4. Recent lens developments
15.5. Recent multijunction cell developments
15.6. Recent graphene radiator developments
15.7. Performance metrics and cost savings
15.8. Conclusions
Chapter Sixteen. Technological relevance and photovoltaic production potential of high-quality silica deposits on Mars
16.1. Introduction
16.2. Spatial distribution and silica content of high-quality deposits on Mars
16.3. Expected performance of silicon solar cells on Mars
16.4. Potential of silicon solar cell manufacturing on Mars
16.5. Conclusions
Chapter Seventeen. Space nuclear power: Radioisotopes, technologies, and the future
17.1. Introduction
17.2. Radioisotope availability
17.3. Radioisotope power systems
17.4. Practical aspects of space nuclear power systems
17.5. Conclusions: Future of nuclear power technologies
Index

Sheila G. Bailey

Dr. Sheila Bailey was a senior scientist in the Photovoltaics and Electrochemical Systems Branch at NASA Glenn Research Center, where she has worked from 1985-2018. She received her Bachelor’s (Duke) and Master’s (UNC) degrees in Physics and her Ph.D. in Solid State Physics (Univ. of Manchester, UK). She taught at Baldwin Wallace University for 27 years and has been an associate faculty member of the International Space University. Dr. Bailey’s PV work has centered around advanced etching, epitaxial lift off and quantum dot (QD) solar cells. She is co-author of over 150 publications in various aspects of solar cell materials processing and applications for space exploration. She has also authored numerous chapters in books and co-edited several books on this topic. She serves on editorial boards of several PV journals as a space PV expert.

Affiliations and expertise

Senior Physicist (Retired), NASA Glenn Research Center, USA

Aloysius F. Hepp

Aloysius F. Hepp is Chief Technologist at Nanotech Innovations and an independent consultant based in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned a PhD in Inorganic Photochemistry in 1983 from MIT and retired in December 2016 from the Photovoltaic & Electrochemical Systems Branch of the NASA Glenn Research Center (Cleveland). He was a visiting fellow at Harvard University from 1992–3. He was awarded the NASA Exceptional Achievement medal in 1997. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Albany and Cleveland State University. Dr. Hepp has co-authored nearly 200 publications (including six patents) focused on processing of thin film and nanomaterials for I–III–VI solar cells, Li-ion batteries, integrated power devices and flight experiments, and precursors and spray pyrolysis deposition of sulfides and carbon nanotubes. He has co-edited twelve books on advanced materials processing, energy conversion and electronics, biomimicry, and aerospace technologies. He is Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing (MSSP) and is currently the chair of the International Advisory Board of MSSP, as well as serving on the Editorial Advisory Boards of Mater. Sci. and Engin. B and Heliyon. He has recently been appointed as Series Editor for the Vacuum and Thin-Film Deposition Technologies series and the Aerospace Fundamentals, Applications, and Exploration series.

Affiliations and expertise

Chief Technologist, Nanotech Innovations LLC and a Science Advisory Board Member, CoreWater Technologies, Inc., Oberlin, OH, USA

Dale Ferguson

Dale C. Ferguson received the Ph.D. degree from The University of Arizona, Tucson, in 1974. He is currently the Lead for Spacecraft Charging Science and Technology with the Space Vehicles Division, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, NM. For nearly 40 years, he has been addressing spacecraft charging problems, first with the NASA and now with AFRL. He is the author of more than 200 publications. He has been the Principal Investigator on numerous spaceflight experiments, including the Wheel Abrasion Experiment on the Mars Pathfinder Sojourner Rover.

Affiliations and expertise

Space Vehicles Division, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Ryne P. Raffaelle

Ryne P. Raffaelle (RPR) earned both a BS and MS in Physics from Southern Illinois University and a Ph.D. in Physics from Missouri University of Science and Technology. He is the Vice President for Research and Associate Provost at Rochester Institute of Technology (R.I.T.). He is the former Director of the National Center for Photovoltaics at the National Renewable Energy Lab of the U.S. Department of Energy. Prior to serving at NREL, he was the Academic Director for the Golisano Institute for Sustainability and Director of the NanoPower Research Laboratory at RIT. He has worked as a visiting scientist at the NASA Glenn Research Center, NASA Kennedy Research Center, and DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He is the author of over 200 refereed publications. He is on the Advisory Board of Elsevier’s Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing and is the Managing Editor of Progress in Photovoltaics, published by Wiley Interscience. He is the co-editor of several books on photovoltaics and nanotechnologies.

Affiliations and expertise

Vice President for Research and Associate Provost for Research, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA

Steven M. Durbin

Steven Durbin received the BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University. Prior to joining Western Michigan University in 2013, he taught at the Florida State University, the University of Canterbury (New Zealand), and the University at Buffalo (SUNY). He is a senior member of the IEEE, and a member of the American Physical Society, the Materials Research Society, and the Royal Society of New Zealand. His interests include novel semiconductors, oxide and nitride compounds, molecular beam epitaxy, pulsed laser deposition, and Schottky contact based devices and have resulted in > 150 publications. Prof. Durbin is currently Editor-in-Chief of Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing since 2016.

Affiliations and expertise

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Western Michigan University, USA

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Photovoltaics for Space

Key Issues, Missions and Alternative Technologies

Purchase options

BLOOM INTO SPRING SAVINGS

Institutional subscription on ScienceDirect

Sheila G. Bailey

Aloysius F. Hepp

Dale Ferguson

Ryne P. Raffaelle

Steven M. Durbin

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