GLTRS--Glenn
TITLE AND SUBTITLE:
Solar Power System Analyses for Electric Propulsion Missions

AUTHOR(S):
Thomas W. Kerslake and Leon P. Gefert

REPORT DATE:
July 1999

FUNDING NUMBERS:
WU-632-1A-1X-00

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES):
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field
Cleveland, Ohio 44135-3191

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER:
E-11759

SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES):
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Washington, DC 20546-0001

REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED:
Technical Memorandum

SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER:
NASA TM-1999-209289
SAE 99-01-2449

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES:
Prepared for the 34th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, August 1-5, 1999. Responsible person, Thomas W. Kerslake, organization code 6920, (216) 433-5373.

ABSTRACT:
Solar electric propulsion (SEP) mission architectures are applicable to a wide range of NASA missions including human Mars exploration and robotic exploration of the outer planets. In this paper, we discuss the conceptual design and detailed performance analysis of an SEP stage electric power system (EPS). EPS performance, mass and area predictions are compared for several PV array technologies. Based on these studies, an EPS design for a 1MW class, Human Mars Mission SEP stage was developed with a reasonable mass, 9.4 metric tons, and feasible deployed array area, 5800 m2. An EPS was also designed for the Europa Mapper spacecraft and had a mass of 151 kg and a deployed array area of 106 m2.

SUBJECT TERMS:
Solar arrays; Electric power; Solar electric propulsion; Performance prediction;
Orbit transfer vehicles

NUMBER OF PAGES:
14

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1999/TM-1999-209289.pdf
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