The Boeing Company

Marc Louis Breen

Scott B Singer

John W Behrens

Andrew R Streett

Ray A Stribling

Darren Scott Cokin

A thermal management system ('TMS') for controlling the temperature of a selective reflective panel is disclosed. The TMS includes a solar concentrator array, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The solar concentrator array is located within the selective reflective panel and has a plurality of reflectors arranged in reflector groups. The temperature sensor monitors a temperature of the selective reflective panel at a location of the temperature sensor. The controller monitors the local temperature of the selective reflective panel utilizing the temperature sensor and, in response, produces a control signal that is sent to the solar concentrator array. The control signal directs the solar concentrator array to position a selected number of reflectors on the concentrator array into an off-pointing position in response to monitoring the temperature sensor, where the selected number of reflectors is determined to control the local temperature of the selective reflective panel.

Thermal management system for controlling the temperature of a reflective surface having a solar concentrator array

A system and method for generating electrical power from a solar power supply using at least one concentrator array having a plurality of photovoltaic cells and corresponding reflector groups to direct light to the photovoltaic. A concentration ratio indicative of a portion of the electrical power capacity to generate to power a spacecraft is determined. The concentration ratio is communicated to a control module on the concentrator array. The control module selects a number of reflectors from the total number of reflectors to orient into a photovoltaic energizing position, where the selected number of reflectors corresponds to a concentration ratio of the total number of reflectors.

System and method for controlling the power ratio of a solar concentrator array

A flexible space structure such as a solar array is composed of multiple solar cell modules (SCMs) each supporting an arrangement of solar cells on a frontside layer and incorporating a backside layer with a surface opposite from the frontside layer having a conductive coating. A selected portion of the SCMs have structural ground extension harnesses intermediate the frontside layer and backside layer. Conductive tapes secure vertically adjacent SCMs by attachment to the conductive coating and electrical jumpers interconnect the structural ground extension harnesses across gapped hinge lines of laterally adjacent SCMs.

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Long Beach, CA, United States of America

Marc Louis Breen