Value chain · CLM-0676
In plain terms
A peer-reviewed study calculates that solar panels lose a real, measurable amount of power, up to about 15% in the worst case tested, just from spending months passing through Earth's radiation belts during a slow electric-propulsion trip to high orbit. Thinner protective glass on the cells makes this worse; starting from a higher point in the transfer orbit makes it better.
The claim as recorded
For a roughly 200-day electric orbit-raising transfer with 150 micrometre coverglass shielding, this peer-reviewed model gives solar-cell power loss of about 1-3% in a quiet space-weather environment and about 3-8% in an active/storm environment (2-5 percentage points worse than quiet); with thinner, 100 micrometre coverglass, power loss can reach 15% within the first 100 days; a higher-apogee starting orbit reduces dose by spending less time in the high-flux proton belt region.
Scope and limits
All figures are for comsat-class spacecraft and shielding; the paper does not model SBSP-scale, differently-shielded or differently-shaped structures. The paper describes itself as addressing "a relatively new type of mission exposed to this effect," first flown in 2015 - this is a live, recently-quantified risk, not settled textbook knowledge.
What it assumes
Modelled using AE9/AP9-class radiation-belt models and stated space-weather scenarios (quiet vs active), not a single flown, dosimeter-measured mission.
Where it comes from
"around 200 days... in comparison to just a few days for chemical propulsion." Quiet environment, 150 micrometre coverglass: "~3%" (EOR-1), "~1%" (EOR-2) final power loss. Active/storm environment: "about 8%" (EOR-1), "3%" (EOR-2), "4%" (EOR-3) - "the active environment resulted in 2% to 5% more degradation than the quiet environment." Thinner, 100 micrometre coverglass: "up to 15% degradation in power output can occur... during the first 100 days." "Raising from a geostationary transfer orbit with a higher apogee allows less time to be spent in regions of high trapped proton flux."
Basis: percentage power loss, coverglass thickness in micrometres
Related records
- Answers question
- QST-002 not published in this release
Cite this
energyaperture.com/c/clm-0676
CLM-0676, Energy Aperture, as of 2019.
Connected records
Other published records linked to this one. A list, not a judgement.