Face to face with sun-eclipsing Proba-3

Through exquisite, millimeter-scale, formation flying, the dual satellites making up ESA's Proba-3 will accomplish what was previously a space mission impossible: Cast a precisely held shadow from one platform to the other, ...

PACE testing and preparation continues for launch in early 2024

Engineers are executing a comprehensive performance test to ensure the PACE spacecraft is ready for launch. NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission will study what makes Earth so different from every ...

Blue Origin reveals its orbital maneuvering vehicle: Blue Ring

The Jeff Bezos-founded aerospace company, Blue Origin, recently announced its new and upcoming Swiss army knife-style spacecraft platform, Blue Ring, which comes after very little public discussion by Blue Origin regarding ...

NOAA's GOES-U completes environmental testing

GOES-U, the fourth and final satellite in NOAA's GOES-R Series of advanced geostationary satellites, recently completed rigorous testing to ensure it can withstand the harsh conditions of launch and orbiting in space 22,236 ...

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Photovoltaic array

A photovoltaic array is a linked collection of photovoltaic modules, which are in turn made of multiple interconnected solar cells. The cells convert solar energy into direct current electricity via the photovoltaic effect. The power that one module can produce is seldom enough to meet requirements of a home or a business, so the modules are linked together to form an array. Most PV arrays use an inverter to convert the DC power produced by the modules into alternating current that can plug into the existing infrastructure to power lights, motors, and other loads. The modules in a PV array are usually first connected in series to obtain the desired voltage; the individual strings are then connected in parallel to allow the system to produce more current. Solar arrays are typically measured by the peak electrical power they produce, in watts, kilowatts, or even megawatts.

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