AIAA S-111A-2014 Qualification and Quality Requirements for Space Solar Cells

The standard “AIAA S-111A-2014 Qualification and quality requirements for space solar cells”, jointly published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), describes the qualification and quality requirements for crystalline silicon and gallium arsenide-based single- and multi-junction solar cell types for space applications. This includes requirements for solar cell manufacturer quality systems and characterization of solar cells.

The requirements for acceptance testing of batches are not defined in the current version of this standard. Qualification is required when introducing a new solar cell design. Delta qualification is required when making changes to the materials and processes used to produce a qualified cell. If the materials and process changes are limited, these can be considered and evaluated for the scope of a delta qualification.

Delta qualification should be based on how the changes may affect the performance and reliability of the cell. The justification for Delta qualification and a detailed description of the changes should be documented in the Delta qualification report. A change in the lateral dimensions of a qualified cell type does not require delta qualification or requalification.

A past post focused on the AIAA S-117-2010 standard, which recommends a specific validation program for any space system. The AIAA S-111A standard standardizes test protocols for the space industry that interact with these solar cells. Solar energy, which harnesses the natural energy radiating from the sun to the earth, is a very popular source of electricity generation.

The most common method of collecting energy from the sun is solar photovoltaics (PV). This usually requires panels made of silicon, which absorbs photons to power the semiconductor and produce energy. PV arrays are placed on the roofs of buildings and sometimes in open spaces on the ground. The average efficiency of these silicon panels is about 15 percent. Several other solar panel materials are currently in research and development. The most important of these is perovskite, which has a high efficiency of about 20 percent.

However, solar is much more advanced in spacecraft. Instead of using silicon, space organizations prefer to use gallium arsenide as the main component of solar panels. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has confirmed that gallium arsenide has an efficiency of more than 30 percent. These solar panels are generally limited to space use due to their high cost.

The AIAA S-111A standard is a standard that provides requirements to verify that space-based solar cells will operate in a predictable manner. This standard takes into account the special maintenance required for solar panels in space, which is very difficult to access and manage.

The efficiency of the system decreases over time due to degradation. Deterioration can occur at different rates depending on the location of the system. This standard recommends several testing methods to understand the condition of the solar system and its susceptibility to damage. The most basic of these methods is a visual inspection to evaluate the system for visible irregularities. Another important testing method is the electrical test, which should be used on each string or series-connected solar cell set to understand the electrical capacitance. Since these solar panels are in space, they are exposed to very harsh conditions. This makes extreme heat and cold, bending, and proton and electron exposure tests incredibly important.

These guidelines help determine the operations and maintenance that will be required for the panels and provide an estimate for the life of the system. Guidelines for space solar panels are also addressed in the standard “AIAAS-112A-2013 Qualification and quality requirements for electrical components in space solar panels”.

Among the numerous testing, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies that our organization has carried out for businesses in various sectors, it also provides testing services defined in the “AIAA S-111A-2014 Qualification and Quality Requirements for Space Solar Cells” standard with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment.