Plasma chamber testing of APSA coupons for the SAMPIE flight experiment
Abstract
Different blanket materials and mounting techniques have been used to build 12 Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array cell coupons for NASA's Solar Array Module Plasma Interactions Experiment. Ground testing of these coupons in a plasma chamber revealed significant differences among them in plasma current collection; while the Kapton-H coupon exhibited current collection consistent with the exposed interconnects, the other two coupon types tested experienced anomalously large collection currents. This may be due to enhanced plasma sheaths supported by the weakly conducting C and Ge employed in these coupons.
- Publication:
-
31st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit
- Pub Date:
- January 1993
- Bibcode:
- 1993aiaa.meetQZ...H
- Keywords:
-
- Kapton (Trademark);
- Oxygen Atoms;
- Plasma Currents;
- Plasma Interactions;
- Solar Arrays;
- Test Stands;
- Earth Orbital Environments;
- Germanium;
- Protective Coatings;
- Spacecraft Propulsion and Power