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Solar Concentrator Advanced Development ProgramThe Solar Concentrator Advanced Development Project has successfully designed, fabricated, and tested a full scale prototypical solar dynamic concentrator for space station applications. A Truss Hexagonal Panel reflector was selected as a viable solar concentrator concept to be used for space station applications. This concentrator utilizes a modular design approach and is flexible in attainable flux profiles and assembly techniques. The detailed design of the concentrator, which included structural, thermal and optical analysis, identified the feasibility of the design and specific technologies that were required to fabricate it. The needed surface accuracy of the reflectors surface was found to be very tight, within 5 mrad RMS slope error, and results in very close tolerances for fabrication. To meet the design requirements, a modular structure composed of hexagonal panels was used. The panels, made up of graphite epoxy box beams provided the strength, stiffness and dimensional stability needed. All initial project requirements were met or exceeded by hardware demonstration. Initial testing of structural repeatability of a seven panel portion of the concentrator was followed by assembly and testing of the full nineteen panel structure. The testing, which consisted of theodolite and optical measurements over an assembly-disassembly-reassembly cycle, demonstrated that the concentrator maintained the as-built contour and optical characteristics. The facet development effort within the project, which included developing the vapor deposited reflective facet, produced a viable design with demonstrated optical characteristics that are within the project goals.
Document ID
19900013518
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Knasel, Don (Harris Corp. Melbourne, FL, United States)
Ehresman, Derik (Harris Corp. Melbourne, FL, United States)
Date Acquired
September 8, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1989
Subject Category
Energy Production And Conversion
Report/Patent Number
NASA-CR-185173
NAS 1.26:185173
Accession Number
90N22834
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS3-24670
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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