Future Directions in Photovoltaic (PV) Cell Development: Summary of the Workshop at SPRAT-XIII GEOFFREY A. LANDIS * Summary: Results of a workshop on the future directions for research in photovoltaic technology held at the Space Photovoltaic Research and Technology (SPRAT) Conference are summarized. Introduction A workshop was held at the Space Photovoltaic Research and Technology (SPRAT) Conference at NASA Lewis Research Center [1] on the future directions for research in photovoltaic technology for space. Workshop co-chairs were Geoffrey A. Landis of NYMA at NASA Lewis, and Ed Gaddy from NASA Goddard Space Center. The workshop was attended by representatives of most of the companies currently engaged in solar cell research directed for space, and several of the satellite users. Missions The "mission" of this workshop was to identify what areas of PV cell development would be most fruitful to direct research toward in order to have the greatest impact on future space power systems. Before analyzing what advances customers need, it is necessary to decide who customers for improved solar cells will be, and what orbits the cells will be required to operate in. The following list of customers was generated: NASA Earth orbit Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Intermediate Earth Orbit Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) Exploration Inward (Sun, Mercury, Venus) Outward (Mars, Asteroids, Outer Planets) Commercial communications LEO Molniya orbit GEO Military Other Government Agencies communications, navigation, observation weather, navigation, observation * NYMA, Inc., NASA Lewis Research Center 302-1, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland OH 44135
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