Current collection and discharges on high voltage solar array for space use in plasma

Abstract

We investigated the interaction of a high-voltage solar array with a plasma simulating a low Earth orbit environment. We measured the plasma-coupling currents of DC-voltage biased solar array models in an argon plasma in a large space chamber. At the positive bias voltage, the plasma-coupling current increased considerably with an increase of bias voltage above 100 V. The current at the negative bias voltage was smaller than at the positive bias voltage, but discharges occurred at about -200 to -300 V.