Roll-out solar arrays boost International Space Station power supply

Two advanced new solar arrays have increased the International Space Station (ISS) power supply.

The roll-out arrays, which are packed tight for launch before unrolling with their own stored energy once in position, were turned on after installation by European astronaut Thomas Pesquet and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough during spacewalks on 16, 20 and 25 June.

Provided by Boeing, with solar cells from subsidiary Spectrolab and a structure from Redwire that enables the roll-out deployment without a motor, the new arrays contain stronger cells that are also more efficient than their predecessors. Measuring 19m long and 6m wide, they generate twice the power in half the space of the original arrays that they partially cover.

The arrays were folded onto a pallet and carried to the ISS by the SpaceX Cargo Dragon. Once in orbit, the ISS robotic arm removed the folded arrays and positioned them so the spacewalkers could take them to the end of the space station truss for installation.

Four more arrays will be launched and installed over the next two years, providing a 20-30% increase in power and supporting more scientific experiments, technology research and commercial pursuits in low Earth orbit.

Though they are functioning well, NASA said the station’s existing solar arrays were showing signs of degradation. The new arrays are being positioned in front of six of the current arrays, and will use the existing sun tracking and power distribution technology. Once new installations are complete, the station will have up to 215kW of power available to support operations.

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