ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9700
Open Date: 24/07/2020
Closing Date: 27/10/2020 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 18.1TT.97
Prog. Ref.: CC-AT 4.0.1
Budget Ref.: E/0534-01G – CC-AT 4.0.1
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+CA+PL+HU
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / Power / Generation: Solar Photovoltaic / Photovoltaic Assemblies
Technology Domains: Propulsion / Electric Propulsion Technologies / Electrostatic Systems
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Technologies and Products Division
Contract Officer: Piesche, Claudia Ria
Industrial Policy Measure: C1 – Activities in open competition limited to the non-Larg…
Last Update Date: 24/07/2020
Update Reason: Closing Date Extended

The objective of the activity is to study the electro static discharge on the latest European Photovoltaic Assemblies (PVA) and to characterise Electro Static Discharge (ESD) events. Test methods to verify the design margins shall be established and supported by simulations. Solar cell coupon engineering models shall be manufactured and used for validation.Targeted Improvements:Reduction ofdesign margins up to 15% of solar cells against ESD events thanks to detailed characterisation and validated testing methods.Description:Electrostatic discharge phenomena on solar arrays have been studied in a previous ESA activity („Flashover evaluation on large solar panels”). The results of this study made it possible to define a test set-up that can be used to simulate the complex ESD phenomena on representative solar array coupons. However, today there are still many issues regarding the test set-up, test conditions and test constraints that are being challenged by stakeholders. This not only leads to non-uniform testing across the industry butalso to an inefficient verification effort. At the same time, the latest multi-junction European solar cell and array technology will greatly benefit from a comprehensive characterisation of their resilience against ESD phenomena using the uniform testmethods that will be developed in this activity.The activity will develop uniform verification test methods for photovoltaic assembly technology against ESD phenomena and will demonstrate the robustness of European photovoltaic assembly technology against ESD events by verifying the design margins on new solar cell technologies/solar array designs. Solar array coupons shall be designed, developed and manufactured. Electrostatic discharge testing shall be performed on these coupons to demonstrate their robustness. Recommendations forqualification testing standard shall be elaborated.footnote: On Delegation Request (formerly called Priority 2) activities will only be initiated on the explicit request of at least one National Delegation.Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news „Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and RD entities in ESA programmes”.