Design Summary of the Insat Lightweight, Deployable Solar Array

The Insat-1 satellite will provide a significant development in solar ray technology for synchronous orbit high power satellites. It is a three-axis stabilized spacecraft designed for seven year operation to provide communications/meteorological service to India. Primary energy source is a single-axis, single-tracking solar array wing with solar torque offset by an opposing solar sail boom. The solar array, composed of five graphite epoxy rigid deployable panels, provides 1000 W divided between two separate power buses.