ABSTRACT
The near-Earth space environment, i.e., thermosphere and ionosphere, presents a substantial risk to space systems. The spacecraft power system must withstand the space environment and meet full performance specifications over the entire mission life, starting from the launch phase to disposal at the end of life. General design criteria required for this purpose are studied and documented by space research organizations such as NASA.1 As the solar array is directly exposed to the space environment, it is particularly vulnerable to damage. In fact, the rate of damage on a solar array determines the spacecraft life in many cases. The environmental factors also affect the overall design of all other components of the power system.
