Spacecraft power is critical to any mission and is dictated by spacecraft power requirements and power losses. Minimizing power losses reduces the size and weight of the power system. Reducing current and increasing array voltage results in reduction of both power loss and electromagnetic drag/torques on the vehicle. Also, weight of ion propulsion power conditioning equipment can be reduced by high-voltage arrays. However, interaction between solar arrays and surrounding plasma in orbit can cause arcing on the solar arrays. Generally arcing occurs at sharp edges and exposed contacts, which are inherent with conventional crystalline solar array construction (solar cells, protection diodes, solder, thick cover glass). Our large-area, flexible thin-film copper-indium-gallium-dieseling (CIGS) photovoltaic technology (Fig. 1) provides high voltage arrays with less than 10_m profile changes through monolithic integration. CIGS does not need conventional cover glass; only an emittance-enhancing coating on the entire array surface after integration should suffice for thermal management and a dielectric barrier. Global Solar Energys proposed effort, "Flexible Thin-Film CIGS High Voltage Arrays for Space Applications" in response to NASA SBIR Crosscutting Technologies 19.02 is to evaluate the required material for use in high-voltage arrays and to assess the design of said thin-film CIGS arrays for future spacecraft.
