PICO-SATELLITE SOLAR CELL EXPERIMENT (PSSC)
Research Area: Small Satellites and Control Technologies
Expedition(s): 18, 27- 28
Principal Investigator(s): ● Henry Yoo, PhD, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland
Air Force Base, New Mexico
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the Pico-Satellite Solar Cell
Experiment (PSSC) is to demonstrate a
responsive spaceflight capability for testing
new solar cell technology within the
introduction cycle of the new technology.
Production has begun on a new generation
of High Efficiency Solar Cells that are
committed to fly on major Department of
Defense (DOD) space assets. In the past,
flying new solar cell technology for the first
time on a major satellite program has
resulted in unexpected interactions with the
space environment, which caused either
failure of the solar arrays or significant
degradation of performance limiting ultimate useful life in orbit. The PSSC Testbed flight
experiment is designed to obtain space environment degradation data for these advanced solar
cells. This capability will allow for gathering spaceflight performance data before the launch of
new satellites with the new solar cell technology as the primary power source.
EARTH BENEFITS
The new advanced materials and components demonstrated on PSSC will improve the
performance, increase the useful life, and reduce the operational costs of commercial weather,
communications, and Earth observation satellites.
SPACE BENEFITS
Results from PSSC will provide a better understanding of the durability of various solar cell
materials when exposed to the space environment. Many of these materials might be used in
the design of future spacecraft.
This investigation is complete; however additional results are pending publication.
View of the Picosat for the Pico-Satellite Solar Cell
Experiment experiment during its deployment from the
starboard side of the payload bay of the orbiter Endeavour.