ASEC/Air Force LIPS-3 test panel results

Preorbit and in-orbit test panel results are presented. The test panel contained three types of solar cell: GaAs/Ge, GaAs, and silicon. The test results showed anomalies in tracking the cell performance in ground tests and into orbit. There was also in-orbit degradation greater than that expected from the radiation models used for the LIPS-3 orbit. With these reservations, the GaAs/Ge cell performance confirmed recent advances in explaining the electrical performance of these cells. Both the GaAs/Ge and GaAs cells have deeper p-n junction depths than current cells, and this probably caused some of the in-orbit degradation. For the silicon cells, the in-orbit degradation was greater than expected for their design and may have been affected by mechanical factors in panel assembly or mounting on the satellite.<>