METHOD FOR MONITORING PERFORMANCE OF SOLAR CELL OF SPACECRAFT ON SHADOWLESS ORBITS Russian patent published in 2018 - IPC B64G1/44 

FIELD: astronautics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the operation of solar cells (SC) of a spacecraft. Method includes orienting the normal to the working surface of the SC to the Sun (at angle α_I) and measuring the SC current. On successive turns of the orbit, measured is angle β_s between the direction to the Sun and the plane of the spacecraft orbit at the moments of passing the antisolar point of the turns. Determined is change Δβ_s of angle β_s for a turn. SC current is measured at the moments chosen from the condition of minimizing angle α_I in the interval between the boundary points of the SC fixed turns. These points are closest to the anti-solar points of the turns, on which a certain condition is implemented depending on β_s, Δβ_s, visible from the spacecraft angular half-openings of the disks of the Earth and the Sun, as well as the elevation angle of the upper boundary of the atmosphere above the horizon. At the same time, defined is angle α_I and the distance from the Earth to the Sun, calculating a certain control parameter over them and comparing it with the values on the previous turns. Repeated are the described actions controlling the SC performance taking this comparison into account.

EFFECT: technical result is minimizing the influence of illumination from the Earth on the specified monitoring.

1 cl, 1 dwg