Ultralightweight Fresnel Lens Solar Concentrators for Space Power

The first phase of this project was completed in March 2000, and included the successful technology demonstration of a new ultralightweight photovoltaic concentrator array at the fully functional panel level. The new array is called the Stretched Lens Aurora (SLA) array, and uses deployable, flexible, thin-film silicone rubber Fresnel lenses to focus sunlight onto high efficiency multijunction solar cells, which are mounted to a composite radiator surface for waste heat dissipation. A prototype panel was delivered to NASA Marshall in March 2000, and comprised four side-by-side lenses focussing sunlight onto four side-by-side photovoltaic receivers. This prototype panel was tested by NASA Glenn prior to delivery to NASA Marshall. The best of the four lens/receiver modules achieved 27.4% efficiency at room temperature in the NASA Glenn solar simulator tests. This performance equates to 375 W/sq.m. areal power and 378 W/kg specific power at the fully functional panel level. We believe this to be the first space solar array of any kind to simulataneously meet the two long-standing NASA goals of 300 W/sq.m. and 300 W/kg at the functional panel level. Key results for the first phase of the program have been documented by ENTECH in a Draft Final Technical Report, which is presently being reviewed by NASA, and which should be published in the near future.