Astrophysics and Space Sciences Transactions www.astrophys-space-sci-trans.net 1810-6528 1810-6536 6 1 2010 10.5194/astra-6-19-2010 http://www.astrophys-space-sci-trans.net/6/19/2010/ http://www.astrophys-space-sci-trans.net/6/19/2010/astra-6-19-2010.html http://www.astrophys-space-sci-trans.net/6/19/2010/astra-6-19-2010.pdf 19 26 2010-07-26 Thermo-photovoltaic spacecraft electricity generation A. Kovacs andras.kovacs@broadbit.com P. Janhunen BroadBit, Espoo, Finnland Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finnland We describe a solution for powering a spacecraft in the 5 kW – 0.5 MW power range. The introduced thermo-photovoltaic electricity generation works without magnets or external cooling; it combines operational simplicity with a good power per mass ratio. Once in orbit, the system shall be capable of powering numerous successive missions within the solar system or a long range exploratory mission. Alta: http://www.alta-space.com/index.php?page=feep , access: 20 June 2010. Andreev, V., Khvostikov, V., Kalinovsky, V. et al: High current density GaAs and GaSb photovoltaic cells for laser power beaming, Proc. of 3rd World Conf. on Photovoltaic Energy Conv., 2003. Anghaie, S.: Development of Liquid-Vapor Core Reactors with MHD Generator for Space Power and Propulsion Applications, Final report of DOE project DE-FG07-98ID 13635, 2002. Busek: http://www.busek.com/colloid.html, access: 20 June 2010. Dalal, V. and Herrold, J.: Microcrystalline Germanium Carbide: A new, almost direct gap, thin film material for photovoltaic energy conversion, Materials Res. Soc. Symp., A25.12, 2001. Diem, M.: Wide-angle perfect absorber/thermal emitter in the terahertz regime, Phys. Rev. B, 33 101–33 104, 2009. Diso, D., Licciulli, A., Bianco, A. et al.: Selective Emitters for High Efficiency TPV Conversion: Materials Preparation and Characterisation, AIP Conf. Proc., 132–141, 2003. Doseinfo: http://www.doseinfo-radar.com/RADARDecay.html, access: 20 June 2010. Fourspring, P. M. and DePoy, D.: Spectral Control for Thermophotovoltaic Energy Conversion, KAPL Inc. report ARP-AC-1326-PMF-E1, 2006. Janhunen, P. and Sandroos, A.: Simulation study of solar wind push on a charged wire: basis of solar wind electric sail propulsion, Ann. Geophys., 755–767, 2007. Landis, G., Merritt, D., and Reyne, R.: High-Temperature Solar Cell Development, 19th Europ. Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conf., 2004. Law, J. D., Herbst, R., Peterman, D. et al.: Development of Cesium and Strontium Separation and Immobilization Technologies in Support of an Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Waste Management'06 Conf. Proc., 2006. Pinzon, D.: Analysis of radiation damaged and annealed Gallium Arsenid and Indium Phosphide solar cells using deep level transient spectroscopy techniques, Master's Thesis, 1991. Sanders, M.: Modeling of operating temperature performance of triple junction solar cells using Silvaco's Atlas, Master's Thesis, 2007. Schmidt, G.: Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) for New Frontiers Applications, present. at the NASA New Frontiers Prog. conf., 2003. Touloukian, S. and DeWitt, D.: Thermal Radiative Properties - Metallic Elements and Alloys, IFI/Plenum, New York, USA, 1970. Turner, J. E.: Atoms, Radiation, and Radiation Protection, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany, 2007. Zubrin, R.: The use of magnetic sails to escape from low earth orbit, J. of the Brit. Interpl. Soc., 46, 3–10, 1993.