Questions on obtaining electrical energy from the light of the Sun through either direct photovoltaic conversion or thermal conversion.
Questions tagged [solar-power]
197 questions
13
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Do space solar panels use more of the solar spectrum?
Quite a bit of the EM spectrum is filtered out by the Earth's atmosphere, which means there's less incident solar energy per area on the ground that in space. There's more discussion of that topic here:
What effects does atmosphere have on solar…
Jerry Guern
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12
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2 answers
Lightest possible solar array?
I'd like to know what is the lightest possible solar array per unit power with current or near future technology.
The arrays I have been able to find:
Vanguard Space THINS 400-500 W/kg (2014; thin film)
SLASR 362 W/kg (2006; concentrator with…
Alex I
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8
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Solar flux on (not at) Earth
I'm trying to find out if there are reliable values for the solar flux received on Earth. I realise this will change with location, time of day, season, weather etc. but I'm surprised that I can find anything at all. For space calculations of solar…
ThePlanMan
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Why do satellite solar arrays misalign from each other?
Searching for an answer to the title's question, I came across a post (How accurately can solar panels be continuously oriented toward the sun on a typical satellite?), in which someone said that "Twice a year, the solar arrays of a geostationary…
Gustavo Rangel
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1 answer
What is the benefit of rigid solar arrays over flexible ones?
I read somewhere that flexible arrays tend do waver when a satellite is rotated so it would make Earth observing satellites have 'fuzzy' pictures. But I also read that Hubble used a flexible array for its panels, which suggests that's a non…
Olivaw
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3
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Power generation from cosmic rays or particles?
A random thought occurred to me:
Can we harness the energy from cosmic rays or particles or deadly radiation that's found (in space) just like we do for solar energy?
Artemis2100
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3
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Why can't solar panels work eternally for any space probe?
Given that as all probes have solar panels attached to them why do they have to shut down at the last stage? I googled and found that dust sticks to panels, because of which, they cannot function properly.
But suppose a glass/any material covering…
Sudhanshu Gaur
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Why don't rockets recharge in space using solar panels while orbiting similar to ISS for deeper space travel?
I was just curious why this isn't possible because it's clearly been considered based on the existence of them in the ISS for keeping the facility online. I'd appreciate some clarity on this. Thanks a lot.
bobthebuilder
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Solar Panel folding
If a spacecraft is going to use solar power as its source of electricity (either for propulsion or just components or both) and it's also going to travel far out into the solar system, to quite high AU, it's going to need larger and more powerful…
Antonio Marmo
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When was the last single-junction single crystal silicon solar cell launched into space?
I'm pretty sure the ISS's all-silicon solar cells are polycrystalline but I've just asked Are the original ISS solar panels single or polycrystalline silicon? What about the new ROSA roll-out arrays? to double check.
These days double or triple…
uhoh
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