Power System

How do solar panels supply energy for spacecraft?

How do solar panels convert the Sun's energy into electricity?

The solar panels are made of solar cells. A cell is a small disk of a semiconductor like silicon. They are attached by wire to a circuit. As light strikes the semiconductor, light is converted into electricity that flows through the circuit. As soon as the light is removed, the solar cell stops producing power.


Do solar panels wear out?
How efficient are solar panels?
What are solar panels?
How do solar concentrators work?
What is a solar cell?

What's electron flow?
What's an electron?
What role does the Sun play in space missions like DS1's?

How are solar panels made?
What's a semiconductor?