MegaFlex achieves power levels up to 175kW per wing and is enabling technology for NASA SEP missions. Two wings can provide up to 350kW for a SEP tug and more wings can be added to a spacecraft to further increase available power. Beyond SEP, MegaFlex can support any mission with large power requirements using currently available technology, launch vehicles and test facilities. In addition to enabling high power missions, MegaFlex technology also allows higher compaction for smaller arrays. This enables better array packaging and could potentially reduce spacecrafts sizes for a given power need, thus fitting into smaller launch vehicles for cost savings.
The same benefits that apply to NASA also apply to commercial applications. MegaFlex enables the greatest power in the largest existing launch vehicles and ground test facilities for high power missions and also enables increased stowed compaction for lower power missions. These benefits immediately apply to vehicles such as Lockheed Martin's Orion and Orbital's Cygnus and will apply in the future to commercial missions that require greater total power, higher compaction, greater specific power, higher stiffness or higher strength than can be achieved with conventional array technology.
More »