Nanosatellite Tests Solar Cells
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By Bettina H. Chavanne
The Aerospace Corporation is analyzing data received from its Picosatellite Solar Cell test bed (PSSC), developed to test a new generation of solar cells.
The 6.4-kilogram (14-pound) nanosatellite, built by Dr. Henry Yoo of the Air Force Research Laboratory in collaboration with engineers from Aerospace Corp., is testing the latest generation of high-efficiency solar cells from Spectrolab and Emcore under conditions in outer space.
Scientists at Aerospace Corp. have used small satellites - some the size of a coffee cup - for a variety of space missions. Satellites that small require careful engineering for their power source, payload circuitry and communications equipment, but they have the advantage of being cheaper to launch and operate than their larger brethren.
The PSSC test bed was launched Nov. 29, 2008 from the space shuttle Endeavour and went silent 110 days later, after transmitting 17 megabytes of data consisting of 698 pictures, sensor data and state-of-health data.
Endeavour photo: NASA
