Encapsulated photovoltaic blankets and modules for deployable solar arrays

Abstract

Large-area deployable solar arrays offer sizable advancements in stowed volumetric power and as-deployed specific power compared to conventional rigid solar arrays, but the traditional cell-interconnect-coverglass (CIC) scheme is no longer optimized for these embodiments. Fully encapsulated photovoltaic (PV) modules and blankets can ease the manufacture of CICs, reduce the challenges associated with electrostatic discharge (ESD) and plasma interaction, and lower the costs of assembly through semi-automated manufacture. Encapsulated PV modules have demonstrated good thermal cycle stability and module-level specific power > 400W/kg.