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Solar array orientations for a space station in low earth orbitA large portion of the drag of a space station in LEO is generated by its solar array; for a baseline 25-kW solar array in 334-km orbit, 1800 kg of reboost propellant/year is needed to counteract solar array drag. A study is conducted of the drag reduction potential of three possible solar array orientations: sun-pointing, sun-pointing during illumination/edge-on during eclipse, and edge-on during entire orbit. An 18.5-percent drag-makeup propellant reduction is found to be obtainable with the sun-pointing/edge-on eclipse orientation technique.
Document ID
19910045396
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Landis, Geoffrey A.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Lu, Cheng-Yi
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
February 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Propulsion and Power
Volume: 7
ISSN: 0748-4658
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Accession Number
91A30019
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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