ABLE's Phase 1 proposal objective is to engineer a perfect electrostatic clean solar array (ESCA) based on an innovative design solution, as presented herein, and ready this technology for commercialization and use on the NASA MMS and GED missions. ABLE's ESCA design uses flight proven materials/processes to create a perfect ESCA system that yields low cost, low mass, high reliability, high power density, and is adaptable to any cell type and coverglass thickness. A logical SBIR Phase 1, 2, and 3 sequential program approach has been conceived to allow for the effective development, validation, qualification, and protoflight/flight acceptance of an optimum ESCA panel design. This multi-phase program approach will enable the advancement of ABLE's ESCA technology and ready it for commercialization. The proposed 6-month duration Phase 1 program will serve as the concept design and validation phase for ABLE's ESCA technology. During the Phase 1 program ESCA requirements/goals will be defined, ABLE's ESCA design will be developed, and representative Engineering Model hardware will be built and tested to validate the feasibility of the proposed solution. The proposed Phase 2 plan includes an 18-month duration program to serve as the qualification phase for the Phase 1 developed ESCA technology. POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS The
Potential NON-NASA Commercial Applications: resulting from the proposed ABLE ESCA technology spans a range of high voltage/power applications (in LEO, MEO & GEO), particularly for GEO 'Comsat' missions. Electrostatic interaction and discharge (ESD) as it relates to array performance is of great concern for these applications and for the survivability of the solar array system. Features and/or the entire solution of ABLE's ESCA design developed for NASA applications are easily implemented to achieve electrostatic cleanliness for use on these non-NASA applications. As such, development of ABLE's ESCA technology serves the non-NASA (i.e., commercial and military) markets as well.
