The electronics division of Bangalore-based Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has assembled and supplied space grade solar panels to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which have been successfully deployed on GSAT-8 Satellite. The satellite, launched from French Gui-ana recently, is the heaviest-ever satellite of ISRO and it caters to the requirements of telecommunication.
Four of the BHEL-supplied solar panels, each more than 5 m2 of area, totaling to 21 m2, for GSAT-8 comprises of multi-junction solar cells in series and parallel combinations, with a total power capacity of 4.5 kWp. The space solar panels are manufactured to space quality standards at the BHEL facility wherein cell welding, bonding and wiring work was carried out by skilled manpower, BHEL said in a statement.
The panels have been further subjected to detailed testing by ISRO such as vibration test and thermovac test as part of the space quality requirements to validate the mechanical, electrical and thermal performance.
BHEL-Electronics Division, in collaboration with ISRO, has established a class 10,000 clean room facilities at their Electronics Systems Division in Bangalore for the assembly and testing of Space Grade Solar Panels using high efficiency solar cells. BHEL has so far supplied 51 space solar panels totaling to 221 sq mtrs of area for various satellites of ISRO.
