Description
The objective of the activity is to design, manufacture and test solar array interconnectors that resist ion erosion, especially during electric orbit raising. Tests will be performed on eroded material and the results will be correlated to a model.
Targeted Improvements: Improving the reliability of a solar array by an order of magnitude.
Description:
The fatigue behaviour of solar array interconnectors is difficult to test and model in a representative way. Until now, there is limited information on tests performed on eroded material/parts in a way that establishes how to correlate the behaviours of eroded material and non-eroded material and to translate this into a model that can allow lifetime prediction.
The proposed activity will involve dedicated tests on interconnectors manufactured from materials resistant to erosion. The test results will be correlated to analysis in a way that improves the fidelity of predictions, and the improvements gained by the use of erosion-resistant materials will be quantified. The outcome of the study will be used to improve the ECSS-E-ST-20-08C standard.
Footnote: On Delegation Request activities will only be initiated on the explicit request of at least one National Delegation.