Lightweight Flexible Solar Array Home Page

Last Update: 11/19/02

More Info
	Technology Description Validation Plan Space Daily Article References

Credits
	NASA Official/Author: Nick Speciale Curator: Trish Johnson Leslie Allen Development Credits Official Notice: Privacy Statement

Summary Overview Benefits Contacts

Flexible Solar Array - click it for the full size image

The Lightweight Flexible Solar Array (LFSA) is a lightweight photovoltaic solar array system.

The unique features of the Lightweight Flexible Solar Array (LFSA) are the use of copper indium diselinide (CulnSe2 or CIS) solar cells and shape memory alloys for the hinge and deployment systems. The combination of these technologies provides significant improvement in the power to weight ratios. The shockless deployment can improve the spacecraft dynamics during deployment and is also much safer than conventional solar array systems using conventional pyrotechnics for deployment. The goal of the LFSA is to achieve greater than 100 Watts/kg power efficiency ratios compared to conventional solar arrays which today provide less than 40 Watts/kg.

Full flight validation of the Lightweight Flexible Solar Array (LFSA) will enable the production of simpler and lower weight solar arrays. This will enable increased science measurement instrumentation to be integrated on a mission (increased payload mass fraction) enabling greater scientific return for each mission.

John Lyons
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Mail Code: 563
Phone: (301) 286-3841

Nick Speciale
EO-1 Mission Technologist
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Mail Code: 490
Phone (301) 286-8704