Technical challenges of space solar power stations:Ultra-large-scale space solar array systems and space environmental effects

Space solar power station(SSPS)are important space infrastructure for humans to efficiently utilize solar energy and can effectively reduce the pollution of fossil fuels to the earth’s natural environment.As the energy conversion system of SSPS,solar array is an important unit for the successful service of SSPS.Today,solar arrays represent the standard technology for providing energy for spacecraft,thanks to their high conversion efficiency and reliability/stability in orbit.With the development of solar arrays,many new materials,new photovoltaic devices and new control systems have emerged.Solar arrays are directly exposed to the space environment,and harsh environmental factors can degrade the performance.To ensure the long-term safe inorbit service of SSPS as well as its ultra-large solar array,these new materials,devices,and control systems must operate certification and evaluation that can be used in space applications.In this review,the development history and research progress of SSPS and the corresponding space solar arrays are summarized and discussed,and the space environmental effects of solar arrays are analyzed at multiple levels(materials,devices,and systems).Finally,in response to the current space environmental effects of the ultra-large solar array used in the SSPS,future development trends and challenges are proposed.

Impact of solar cell failure on the performance of solar arrays in space

Space solar power station adopts large-area solar arrays for efficient photovoltaic conversion,making it one of the best solutions to future energy problems.In-orbit failure of solar arrays can affect the service life of spacecraft,thereby it is crucial to comprehend the impact of solar cell failure on the electrical performance of solar arrays and propose appropriate circuit design criteria.The root cause of solar array failure is the degeneration of solar cells.In this paper,power loss caused by an open circuit or short circuit failure of solar cells in pure parallel and series–parallel circuits is described,and it reveals that an open circuit of the cell is more harmful in the pure parallel circuit,while a short circuit in the series–parallel circuit is more detrimental,which causes loss of electrical performance in series and parallel units,respectively.All conclusions have been validated through model calculations and corresponding experiments.The electrical loss is also influenced by the control mode.For the Maximum Power Point Tracking control mode favored by space solar power station,which can significantly increase generated power,application suggestions have been proposed based on the results of cell failure analysis.The research will provide a reference for circuit selection and boundary design for solar arrays,reducing the probability of solar array failure and saving the manufacturing and redeployment costs of space solar power station.