Abstract
The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest and most complex spacecraft ever assembled and operated in orbit. The first U.S. photovoltaic module, containing two solar arrays, was launched, installed, and activated in early December 2000. After the first week of continuously rotating the U.S. solar arrays, engineering personnel in the International Space Station Mission Evaluation Room observed higher than expected electrical currents on the drive motor in one of the beta gimbal assemblies, the mechanism used to maneuver a U.S. solar array. The magnitude of the motor currents continued to increase over time on both beta gimbal assemblies, creating concerns about the ability of the gimbals to continue pointing the solar arrays towards the sun, a function critical for continued assembly of the ISS. A number of engineering disciplines convened in May 2001 to address this on-orbit hardware anomaly. This paper reviews the International Space Station electrical power system analyses performed to develop viable operational workarounds that would minimize beta gimbal assembly use while maintaining sufficient solar-array power to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Additionally, electrical power system analyses performed in support of on-orbit beta gimbal assembly troubleshooting exercises are reviewed.
Published Version
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