Advanced Lightweight Flexible Array with Mechanical Architecture

Nowadays spacecraft missions need more and more power supply so larger solar arrays. However, the restricted volume between the fairing and the spacecraft sidewall limits the number and the dimension of rigid solar panels during launch. Therefore, the answer for this growing power demand lies neither in stacking more of the rigid solar arrays, nor by marginal efficiency improvements on III-V multi-junction solar cells, but rather in innovative/disruptive photovoltaic solutions. More solar cells per unit of volume are needed, and flexible solar arrays are the only answer for this high-power challenge. In this context, ALFAMA project, funded by the European commission, aims at developing a disruptive flexible space solar array technology.