LIPS III-a solar cell test bed in space

The LIPS III satellite, which was launched into a 1100-km circular orbit of 60° inclination in the spring of 1987, is discussed. LIPS III is a member of the living-plume-shield class of spacecraft, all of which were built around a simple sheet metal plume deflector. The purpose of LIPS III was to provide a testbed for space power sources. An overview of the LIPS III system is given, and the experiments submitted for it, all but one of which were photovoltaic in nature, are described     

Power Electronics in Space: A Review and Projection

Power electronics has emerged as a distinct field of electrical engineering in recent years. This emergence is closely linked with the development of power control and conversion equipment for space application over the last 20 years. Development of switched-mode power conversion techniques has been the dominant activity in this field, spurred by both the improvements in solid-state power devices and the needs of space systems for light weight, highly efficient techniques for dc power regulation. This history is reviewed and projections are made in the four key areas of circuit fundamentals, components, circuit practice, and applications.