Self-deployable solar cell panel

摘要

A pair of semi-rigid solar cell panels are curved under stress and latched in arcuate edge abutting fashion about the exterior of a spacecraft body, and upon release of the latched ends flatten into tangency at opposite sides of the spacecraft body. Spring hinges at the ends of a deployment arm cause each panel to automatically move radially outward of the spacecraft body, and a motor mounted to the spacecraft body and to one end of the deployment arm rotates the panel to orient the solar cells relative to the source of solar energy.