Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands B.v

Johan Hendrik Cruijssen

Petrus Cornelis Datema

Bruin Benthem

Jaap De Kam

A spacecraft (), comprising a body (), a solar array () with a support panel () which is connected to the body, and a thermal radiator () that is connected to the body and which includes a radiator substrate () that is thermally coupled to the body via at least one heat link (). The solar array and thermal radiator are configured to be transitioned from a stowed state wherein the support panel and the radiator substrate are held fixed in an overlapping arrangement along and near the body, to a deployed state wherein the solar array is unfolded with the support panel positioned at a distance from the body and the radiator substrate is folded away from the body and the solar array. Preferably, the solar array and thermal radiator are flexible, to allow them to be kept in an overlapping and temporarily bent shape in the stowed state.

Solar panel and flexible radiator for a spacecraft

A solar array () for a spacecraft (), comprising a solar concentrator that is provided with photovoltaic cells and reflective areas configured for reflecting solar radiation towards the photovoltaic cells, wherein the reflective areas and the photovoltaic cells are provided on opposite surfaces of concentrator reflector sheet members () that are repositionable from a retracted state wherein the concentrator reflector sheet members are in a substantially flat arrangement, to a extended state wherein the concentrator reflector sheet members are raised to allow the reflective areas to reflect solar radiation towards the exposed photovoltaic cells. Alternatively or in addition, the solar array may comprise a support panel, which may be at least partially flexible for retaining the support panel in a bent panel shape when the solar array is in the stowed state fixed at a position near a body of the spacecraft.

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Leiden, Netherlands

Johan Hendrik Cruijssen