In an effort to reduce the costs of future GPS satellite constellations, dual-launch configurations are being explored that can put two GPS satellites into orbit from one launch vehicle. To enable this configuration, thin and deployable solar arrays must supplant standard rigid solar panels that occupy too much volume within the fairing while stowed. For this proposed effort, Vanguard Space Technologies and Composite Technology Development propose an innovative deployable solar array system that can readily stow into a small envelope and that can deploy to meet the spacecraft power requirements. The approach combines Vanguards thin and flexible solar array technology with CTDs composite boom deployment mechanisms to render very high specific power and stowed volumetric power solar arrays that can meet the demands of 15 year on-orbit lifetimes in medium earth orbit.
Benefits: The proposed deployable solar array systems would have wide applicability to both DoD and commercial spacecraft operating in MEO orbit and further.
Keywords: deployable, solar power, flexible, blanket, composite, boom
