1. Arrays utilizing only the minimum thickness cell, cover, and substrate; 2. New blanket fabrication techniques; 3. Light-weight blanket-attachment techniques; 4. New, light-weight, structural weaving techniques; 5. Improved radiation-resistant materials; 6. New thermal control coatings; 7. Designs capable of surviving extreme thermal cycling; and a 8. New method for environmentally testing blankets to provide more reliable and better designed arrays. d. Key Issue No. 4 - Solar Cell Array Blanket Cost Reduction Cost of the SSPS is probably the most critical factor. In the case of the array blanket, it is important that additional costs beyond the cost of the solar cell itself be kept to a very low value. The interconnection of the cells and the encapsulation in a blanket must therefore be reduced from the present level of about $180 per watt (including cell costs) to a level of about $0.60 per watt. The approach to reducing these costs is to develop: 1. New and simpler blanket fabrication processes, 2. New continuous laminating techniques, 3. New printed circuit interconnector techniques, and 4. New mass production techniques that allow mechanization and automation. e. Key Issue No. 5 — Solar Cell Concentration Technique Improvement To achieve the low cost requirement of the SSPS, it will be necessary to utilize solar energy concentration. Concentration makes it possible to generate more power from each solar cell and, if the concentration mechanism is much less expensive than the solar cell, a significant cost reduction can be achieved. The SSPS array analysis showed that the use of a concentration ratio of 3 reduced the array costs from $1.80 per watt to $0.90 per watt. The approach to achieving this technology is to develop: 1. Light-weight mirror-design concepts,
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