NASA's Photovoltaic Energy Research Plans and Programs
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Solar Cell & Array Development - Outer Planets (LILT) NASA
Extreme Environments Solar Power (EESP): Develop solar cell and array technologies for use in low intensity, low
temperature (LILT) environments (beyond 5 AU) and high radiation environments in this region (Jupiter and its inner
moons)
Project Goal: 35% beginning of life (BOL) cell efficiency, 28% EOL efficiency at the blanket (or equivalent) level,
measured at 5 AU and -125 °C; 8-10 W/kg measured at EOL, Packaging density at least 60 kW/m³
Project started in June 2016 with 4 contract Base Phase Awards, 2 later Option Phases led to 1 current award to
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)
Flexible Array Concentrator
Technology (DSS, APL)
APL: Transformational Array (TA)
System Concept
Uses DSS Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) for the array structure
and blanket.
Populated the array with high efficiency IMM solar cells which
also offer longer life in radiation environments (SolAero IMM4
cell)
Populated the array with concentrators to reduce array mass,
volume, and cost and increase intensity on the cells by 2x.
Current missions being planned to Jupiter's moon lo and to
Neptune's moon Triton are considering including
demonstrations of the Transformational Array.
www.nasa.govView entire presentation