Emcore awarded solar array design contract
The CRYOSAT satellite is the first in a series of earth explorer opportunity missions sponsored by the ESA s Living Planet program. The satellite will monitor land and marine ice mass fluxes to improve the understanding of climate change. Under the terms of the contract, Emcore will partner with the European Aeronautic Defense & Space Company (EADS), which will provide the mechanical design, while Emcore will lead the team and provide electrical design. The solar array will convert sunlight into electrical power and will provide the primary power source for the CRYOSAT satellite.
"Satellite success is highly dependent on the solar array s performance and reliability as a key component of the satellite s power supply,” said Uwe Mallow of ASTRIUM. “The combination of Emcore’s high efficiency triple-junction solar cells and the successful flight heritage of Tecstar s solar array programs were key factors in our decision."
Emcore’s triple junction solar cells are based on an InGaP/GaAs/Ge junction on Ge substrate stack, and typically offer a beginning of life efficiency of 26% at 28°C.
