Use of Solar Panels in the Design of Small CubeSat Spacecraft

Abstract

The article discusses organization of power supply for small spacecraft of CubeSat type. Various methods of power supply of CubeSat onboard equipment are worked out. The use of solar panels (SP) for power supply of CubeSat is proposed. The developed technology for the production of solar arrays of the required size from solar panels has been demonstrated. The organization of incoming control of solar panels to improve reliability and achieve maximum efficiency of produced solar panels is considered. A developed stand for diagnostics of solar cells, which allows detecting latent defects, is presented. The issue of determining power characteristics of the developed solar panels and the necessary optimal load for their maximum efficiency is discussed. The installation of solar panels on the CubeSat aircraft is described. The efficiency of solar panels is tested in space by launching CubeSat on a stratospheric probe. The parameters of the aircraft current supply and current generation by solar panels obtained as a result of the experiment are collected and processed, the results are presented in the article in the form of graphs. On basis of the data obtained, effectiveness of the use of solar panels on small aircraft of the CubeSat type is shown.