BHEL deploys space grade solar panels on GSAT-10 satellite

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has successfully deployed space grade solar panels on the GSAT-10 satellite of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

According to  a statement from BHEL, the GSAT-10 was launched from the Kourou launch base in French Guyana, and it is the heaviest Indian satellite built by ISRO and caters to the country’s telecommunications and television broadcasting requirements.

The four solar panels supplied by BHEL for GSAT-10, have an area of 5.36 square metre each and comprise multi-junction solar cells in series and parallel combinations, with a total power capacity of 4000 watts.

In addition, BHEL has also supplied two sets of Li-ion batteries, each consisting of 40 Li-ion cells with a power storage capacity of 160 Ampere-Hours, for GSAT-10.

According to BHEL statement, “The space grade solar panels and batteries were manufactured and tested to strict space quality standards at the BHEL facility by highly skilled manpower.”

The panels were subjected to detailed testing by ISRO such as vibration test and thermovac tests as part of the space quality requirements to validate their mechanical, electrical and thermal performance.

 BHEL, in collaboration with ISRO, has established state-of-the-art 10,000 class clean room facility at its Electronics Systems Division in Bangalore for the assembly and testing of Space Grade Solar Panels using high efficiency solar cells.

BHEL has been associated with ISRO for long time now and had earlier supplied several space grade solar panels and space quality batteries to ISRO for use in their  various satellites.

BHEL has so far supplied 55 solar panels totalling 250 square metre of area and 40 batteries for various satellites of ISRO.