Spacecraft solar array charging control device
AssigneeMaxwell Technologies, Inc.
InventorIra Katz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A charging control device for use with a spacecraft solar array employs a field emitter array including a cathode and an anode; a first resistor coupled between the cathode of the field emitter array and a solar array common; and a second resistor coupled between the anode of the field emitter array and a solar array positive.
Claims19
A charging control device for use with a spacecraft solar array which includes solar array strings comprising:
- a field emitter array including a cathode and an anode;
- a first resistor coupled between the cathode of the field emitter array and a solar array common;
- and
- a second resistor coupled between the anode of the field emitter array and a solar array positive.
A method of installing a spacecraft solar array charging control on a spacecraft which has a solar power array including solar array strings, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a spacecraft solar array charging control device;
- selecting a location on the solar power array for positioning the spacecraft solar array charging control;
- analyzing the suitability of the selected location and determining whether the location is acceptable;
- once the acceptability of the location is determined, sizing two resistor values for resistors to be coupled to field emitter array terminals and to a chosen solar array string;
- and
- mounting the spacecraft solar array charging control device at the selected location.
A device for preventing solar power array charging in a spacecraft having a solar power array which includes at least one solar array string and a solar array common, the device comprising:
- a housing;
- a field emitter array including a cathode and an anode;
- a first resistor coupled between the cathode of the field emitter array and the solar array common;
- and
- a second resistor coupled between the anode of the field emitter array and a solar array positive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.