Long‐Term In Situ Performance Comparison of Si and GaAs Solar Arrays in Medium Earth Orbit

Abstract

The present work analyzes the long‐term in situ comparison of Si and GaAs solar array based on two BeiDou Navigation Satellite System satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO). From the 6 year long‐term perspective, both Si and GaAs solar arrays exhibit significant yearly periodic variations in remote sensing current and temperature due to periodic variations in the Sun–satellite distance. The practical in situ photogenerated current degradation of Si and GaAs solar arrays in MEO orbits is analyzed by the light intensity and working temperature after calibrating. The annual degradation coefficients of Si and GaAs solar arrays are calculated to be 0.986 and 0.990, respectively, which means 13.2% and 9.6% current degradation for Si and GaAs solar arrays at the end of the 10 year life MEO satellite. Also, this article examines the temperature of the MEO orbit, with the working temperature ranging from −144.7 to 56.3 °C for Si solar array and −136.9 to 60.9 °C for GaAs solar array. The present work provides a critical accurate degradation parameter for the MEO satellite's precise design and the space application of the low‐cost silicon solar cell.