Design of a Solar-tracking Mechanism in the EPS of ÆtherSat

Abstract

Almost 85% of the satellites that have been launched are solar-powered. To overcome the shortcoming of their low conversion efficiency, many satellites incorporate efficiency enhancement methods which include, and are not limited to, solar tracking, layering the solar panels with thin glass films and the use of solar concentrators (like the Fresnel Lens). The use of the method of solar tracking in the power system of small satellites is a relatively novel and unexplored concept. Following a literature survey of the existing mechanisms used for solar-tracking, a new mechanism was modelled. The development and ideation of the new mechanism was done focusing on its applicability on a theoretical 1U student CubeSat called ÆtherSat. The new mechanism uses commercially off-the-shelf components to facilitate the tilting of the solar array. An initial sizing of the solar array was carried out using the results from a simple power budgeting, which also assumed a standard 1U CubeSat with no external payload. The mechanism is concluded to be simple, light-weight and economical. A C.A.D. (Computer-Aided Design) model of the entire mechanism using the C.A.D. software Autodesk Fusion 360 was also designed and rendered.