Ultra-lightweight space power from hybrid thin-film solar cells

The development of hybrid inorganic/organic thin-film solar cells on flexible, lightweight, space-qualified, durable substrates provides an attractive solution for space power generation with high mass specific power (W/kg). The high-volume, low-cost fabrication potential of organic cells will allow for square miles of solar cell production at one-tenth the cost of conventional inorganic materials. Plastic solar cells take a minimum of storage space and can be inflated or unrolled for deployment. We explore a cross-section of NASA in-house and sponsored research efforts that aim to provide new hybrid technologies that include both inorganic and polymer materials as active and substrate materials. For NASA applications, any solar cell or array technology must not only meet weight and AMO efficiency goals, but also must be durable enough to survive launch and space environments. Also, balance of system technologies must be developed to take advantage of ultra-lightweight solar arrays in power generation systems.     

Large area solar cells for future space power systems

Space silicon solar cell technology has matured to the extent that large-area planar silicon cells can be fabricated in sizes up to 8 cm×8 cm with efficiencies up to approximately 15%. In order to achieve substantially higher efficiencies, cells based on GaAs are required. It is shown that, subject to certain boundary conditions, the efficiency of GaAs/Ge cells can reach 24% when used in the dual-junction configuration or approximately 19.5% if the Ge substrate is passive. The electrooptical properties of these cells are reviewed, and prospects for achieving these efficiency goals are presented. Experimental performance data are given     

The space performance of silicon vertical junction solar cells onthe LIPS-III satellite

The authors present the preliminary analysis and results of a space experiment to evaluate the performance of a new generation of silicon vertical junction solar cells and three adhesives for attaching coverglass to the solar cells. Two of the adhesives are used for the first time in coverglass applications in the space environment. The SOLAREX vertical junction solar cells, which are of 10-Ω-cm silicon with back surface fields (BSFs) and back surface reflectors (BSRs) are compared to SOLAREX planar junction cells, also of 10-Ω-cm, BSF, BSR silicon. The results up to 386 days in space indicate that the two types of solar cell show about the same degradation rate in power output. There are no significant differences at this point in the performances of the three different adhesives     

湿热环境下K-cor夹层复合材料的力学性能

K-cor夹层结构是应用Z-pin技术增强的一种新型高性能夹层结构,本文研究了Z-pin不同植入密度对K-cor夹层结构试样吸湿特性的影响规律,在此基础上对不同Z-pin植入参数对试样湿热前后三点弯曲性能和压缩性能的影响规律进行了深入研究。研究结果表明：夹层结构中Z-pin的植入能提高试样的尺寸稳定性,且不会对其吸湿率造成明显影响;Z-pin植入密度的增加能明显提高湿热前后试样三点弯曲强度和压缩强度,且具有较高的强度保持率,Z-pin密度为12 mm×12 mm的K-cor夹层结构湿热处理试样的三点弯曲强度比未湿热处理空白试样的要高11.1%,8 mm×8 mm湿热处理K-cor试样的芯部压缩强度比未湿热处理空白夹层结构试样要高17.5%,体现出K-cor夹层结构优异的抗湿热性能;而Z-pin植入角度的减小能明显提高试样湿热处理前后的压缩强度,0°植入K-cor试样湿热处理后的芯部压缩强度与40°植入K-cor试样未湿热处理的基本相同,但植入角度对三点弯曲强度影响较小。     

Kinetic properties of heavy ions in the solar wind from SWICS/Ulysses

The kinetic properties of heavy ions in the solar wind are known to behave in a well organized way under most solar wind flow conditions: Their speeds are all equal and faster than that of hydrogen by about the local Alfvén speed, and their kinetic temperatures are proportional to their mass. The simplicity of these properties points to a straightforward physical interpretation; wave-particle interactions with Alfvén waves are the probable cause. With the SWICS sensor on board Ulysses, it is now possible to investigate the kinetic properties of many more ion species than before. Furthermore, the transition of Ulysses into the fast stream emanating from the south polar coronal hole since 1992 allows us to study these properties both in the slow, interstream solar wind, as well as in an unambiguously identified fast stream. We present data from SWICS/Ulysses on the dominant ions of He, C, O, Ne, and Mg. As a result we find that, both in the slow wind and in fast streams, the isotachic property is obeyed even better than it could be determined by the ICI instrument on ISEE-3. The mass proportionality ofT _kin is also shown to hold for these ions, including the newly identified C and Mg.     

The streaming of solar flare particles and plasma in interplanetary space

A review is given of the features of solar particle emissions which cause various terrestrial disturbances. Three types of corpuscular emissions, namely, solar cosmic rays, energetic storm protons and plasma clouds, are associated with intense solar flares. Outward streaming of the solar wind and of beams of enhanced activity originate from the quiescent solar corona. It is shown that these solar particles propagate through interplanetary space, being modulated in a systematic way by existing magnetic fields. Time variations of solar flare particle flux, and their energy spectrum, are discussed.     

Mechanical investigation of a multi-layer reflectarray for Ku-band space antennas

A multi layer sandwich panel of printed reflectarray (RA) is a complex composition of many different materials enabling a required performance with exceptional properties. The major properties of a multilayer RA include the following: the use of array layers of reflective patches forming the flat structure gives the possibility to focus the electromagnetic waves; the use of more than one reflecting layer is widening the RF bandwidth; the possibility of having two different polarisations and two different contours of the beams.To achieve the mentioned properties, analytical and experimental investigations have been carried out. A sandwich panel for a three-layer printed reflectarray for dual polarisation with a different coverage in each polarisation has been designed, manufactured and tested. The measured radiation patterns of the RA show that gain requirements are fulfilled in a 10% bandwidth. Thickness and flatness accuracy requirements are also fulfilled. Low dissipative electric losses (0.35 dB) have been achieved, as a result of an appropriate mechanical design and selection of low-loss materials for the RA panel.     

Nonsteady behaviour of solar dynamic power systems with Stirling cycle for space stations

In the first part of this paper, a solar dynamic power system with a Stirling engine for space station application is described. Its unsteady behaviour is theoretically modelled and numerically simulated for four representative orbit configurations. The results are compared to that of a solar dynamic power module with a Brayton gas turbine.In the second part, it is shown that the complex nonsteady behaviour of solar dynamic power modules with either the Brayton cycle or Stirling cycle can be analysed in a simplified way with sufficient accuracy for practical purposes on the basis of parametrizations and simple energy balances.     

Spaceflight testing of solar cells and concentrating arrays

The following topics are dealt with: new solar cell performance developments; calibration related developments; solar array concentrator; solar cell efficiency; nighttime power generation     

资源受限条件下的离港航班停机位分配优化模型

停机位作为机场的重要资源,优化停机位分配策略,实现更优的航班运行效率和旅客满意度已成为研究的重中之重。针对研究牵引车、管制员等资源受限条件下的停机位分配问题,首先以航空器延误时间最少、靠桥数最大为目标,并将靠桥数最大转化为不靠桥数最小,建立停机位分配优化模型,采用启发式算法进行求解;其次搭建场面仿真模型以验证算法的可靠性;最后通过北京大兴国际机场进行实例验证。结果表明：相较于机场实际运行情况,本文所建立的停机位分配优化模型使航空器延误降低25.5%、靠桥率提升8.8%,本文所提出的停机位分配策略可以在资源受限条件下实现场面延误和靠桥率的优化。     

微球型炭泡沫复合材料力学性能的研究

为表征微球含量对碳泡沫复合材料的影响,以自制热固性酚醛树脂与不同体积分数的酚醛空心微球配比混合,采用模压成型法,制备酚醛泡沫材料;再将其在Ar气保护下高温碳化处理,得到微球型碳泡沫复合材料;研究碳泡沫复合材料的微观结构及空心微球的体积分数对碳泡沫的压缩性能、断裂韧性的影响。结果表明：随着空心微球含量的增加,复合材料的压缩断裂特征由梯度式脆性断裂模式向假塑性断裂模式转变,其断裂韧性也得到了明显改善;空心微球含量为80v01．％的碳泡沫韧性最佳;适当提高空心微球含量,可改善碳泡沫的比压缩强度,空心微球含量为70v01．％的碳泡沫的比压缩强度可达43．32MPa·cm3·g-1。     

约束阻尼结构力学性能研究与参数优化

飞行过程中的气流扰动、机械振动使得飞机典型薄壁结构承受宽频振动,产生振动疲劳从而影响飞机结构的寿命和安全性,约束阻尼结构处理是一种经济有效的抑振手段。采用黏弹性阻尼材料和单向玻璃纤维复合材料制备两种约束阻尼结构,研究它们的阻尼和力学性能;利用有限元仿真手段对约束阻尼结构修补飞机典型悬臂梁结构的参数进行设计和分析,考察阻尼层厚度、约束层厚度以及补片尺寸对结构振动响应的影响,得到约束阻尼参数规律,并以参数优化后的约束结构为基础设计振动测试实验。结果表明：约束阻尼处理后的悬臂梁结构能有效地降低结构危险点的应变幅值;三层阻尼结构抑振效果优于双层约束阻尼,能够显著降低结构危险点在承受振动加载时的应力值,提高结构振动疲劳寿命。     

大跨时空任务背景下的太阳能无人机任务规划技术研究进展

通过任务规划技术合理的优化太阳能无人机的飞行轨迹和动力学参数,能够有效提高太阳能无人机的能量利用率,使其胜任许多大范围跨时间跨空间飞行任务。从能量建模、续航评估和能量管理策略3个方面对大跨时空任务背景下太阳能无人机任务规划技术的研究进展进行了综述。在能量建模方面,介绍了当前主流的太阳辐射模型和能量生产基本框架;在续航评估方面,分析了目前的指标设计和应用方法;在能量管理策略方面,从能量综合应用、风力滑翔机制、轨迹优化方法和面向特定任务的应用4个角度,梳理了当前的研究现状。最后,对该领域未来可能的研究方向进行了展望。     

TC4钛合金扩散焊接头的力学性能

在温度为910℃,压力为3.4MPa条件下对TC4钛合金板材进行了扩散焊接,对获得的扩散焊接头取样进行金相观察,仅在接近接头表面材料深度为1mm范围内发现未焊合缺陷,其余部分焊合较好,表明在给定工艺下可获得质量良好的焊接头.随后对TC4扩散焊接头的力学性能进行了试验研究,分别开展了静拉伸试验、断裂韧性试验及焊缝附近区域的纳米压痕试验.试验结果表明,所制得的TC4扩散焊接头屈服强度为887MPa,抗拉强度为948MPa,断裂韧性为101.9MPa·m1/2,均与原材料的性能相差不大.纳米压痕试验的结果显示,接头焊缝区和母材区的显微弹性模量分别为180.2GPa和178.0GPa.      

不同拉伸速率下改性双基推进剂的力学特性

为研究改性双基推进剂力学性能的率相关性,开展了不同速率下改性双基推进剂单轴拉伸力学性能试验,并利用扫描电镜对拉伸断面的形貌进行了观察,分析了拉伸速率对推进剂力学性能以及断面形貌的影响,以及不同拉伸速率下的破坏模式。结果表明：随拉伸速率的增加,推进剂应力-应变曲线逐渐出现应变强化现象,且现象越来越明显;推进剂的初始模量、强度随拉伸速率的增大呈现上升趋势;推进剂的断裂伸长率随拉伸速率的增大,呈现先上升后下降的趋势,在0.24%·s-1应变速率附近达到极值;随拉伸速率的增大,推进剂的破坏模式分别表现为颗粒“脱湿”、基体断裂、颗粒断裂。     

Mechanical behaviour of adhesively single lap joint under buckling conditions

Adhesive Single Lap Joints have been subjected to tensile and bending investigations by many researchers. However, the joint is also likely to experience buckling loading in some aerospace applications. The aim of this work is to investigate the joint behaviour under quasi-static buckling conditions. For this purpose, the joints with three different adherend thicknesses and 25 mm overlap length were tested using two different types of adherends and an adhesive film. They were modelled using a non-linear Finite Element Method via the ABAQUS Explicit package programme. Load to failure and stress distributions in the joints were predicted and compared with the experimental results, which were found in a good agreement. The adhesive layer in the joint was assumed to experience shear stresses under the buckling mode, similar to that in tensile loading, yet, the stress concentrations at the ends of the overlap, the main cause of the failure, resulted in different effects on the joint performance; for the buckling mode the critical stresses were in compression but for the tensile case in peeling. Unlike the latter, the former was found to prevent failure of the layer depending on the adherend thickness, causing different failure mechanisms. There were two different failure modes of the joints; a complete failure in the adhesive layer and large plastic deformation of adherends which could be a good source for crashworthiness situations. Mechanical properties of the adherends were found to play important roles on the joint performance.     

Observations of the solar wind from coronal holes

The solar wind emanating from coronal holes (CH) constitutes a quasi-stationary flow whose properties change only slowly with the evolution of the hole itself. Some of the properties of the wind from coronal holes depend on whether the source is a large polar coronal hole or a small near-equatorial hole. The speed of polar CH flows is usually between 700 and 800 km/s, whereas the speed from the small equatorial CH flows is generally lower and can be <400 km/s. At 1 AU, the average particle and energy fluxes from polar CH are 2.5×10⁸ cm^–2 sec^–1 and 2.0 erg cm^–2 s^–1. This particle flux is significantly less than the 4×10⁸ cm^–2 sec^–1 observed in the slow, interstream wind, but the energy fluxes are approximately the same. Both the particle and energy fluxes from small equatorial holes are somewhat smaller than the fluxes from the large polar coronal holes.Many of the properties of the wind from coronal holes can be explained, at least qualitatively, as being the result of the effect of the large flux of outward-propagating Alfvén waves observed in CH flows. The different ion species have roughly equal thermal speeds which are also close to the Alfvén speed. The velocity of heavy ions exceeds the proton velocity by the Alfvén speed, as if the heavy ions were surfing on the waves carried by the proton fluid.The elemental composition of the CH wind is less fractionated, having a smaller enhancement of elements with low first-ionization potentials than the interstream wind, the wind from coronal mass ejections, or solar energetic particles. There is also evidence of fine-structure in the ratio of the gas and magnetic pressures which maps back to a scale size of roughly 1° at the Sun, similar to some of the fine structures in coronal holes such as plumes, macrospicules, and the supergranulation.     

Origin of the solar wind from composition data

The ESA/NASA spacecraft Ulysses is making, for the first time, direct measurements in the solar wind originating from virtually all places where the corona expands. Since the initial two polar passes of Ulysses occur during relatively quiet solar conditions, we discuss here the three main regimes of quasi-stationary solar wind flow: the high speed streams (HSSTs) coming out of the polar coronal holes, the slow solar wind surrounding the HSSTs, and the streamers which occur at B-field reversals. Comparisons between H- maps and data taken by Ulysses demonstrate that as a result of super-radial expansion, the HSSTs occupy a much larger solid angle than that derived from radial projections of coronal holes. Data obtained with SWICS-Ulysses confirm that the strength of the FIP effect is much reduced in the HSSTs. The systematics in the variations of elemental abundances becomes particularly clear, if these are plotted against the time of ionisation (at the solar surface) rather than against the first ionisation potential (FIP). We have used a superposed-epoch method to investigate the changes in solar wind speed and composition measured during the 9-month period in 1992/93 when Ulysses regularly passed into and out of the southern HSST. We find that the patterns in the variations of the Mg/O and O⁷⁺/O⁶⁺ ratios are virtually identical and that their transition from high to low values is very steep. Since the Mg/O ratio is controlled by the FIP effect and the O⁷⁺/O⁶⁺ ratio reflects the coronal temperature, this finding points to a connection between chromospheric and coronal conditions.