Abstract: A spin-stabilized vehicle comprising a body and three deployable panels. The inner ends of the panels are attached to the vehicle body at points equidistant from each other. Furthermore, the panel surfaces are covered with photovoltaic or solar cells. During transport and ascent of the vehicle, the panels are stowed in packages supported on the body of the vehicle. The packages are controllably deployed radially of the body in the presence of centrifugal force which in effect removes the panels from the packages. When deployed, the panels extend radially from the body of the vehicle. The use of three panels results in a relatively small ripple of the power supplied by the cells as the vehicle rotates thereby providing a relatively high efficiency of cell utilization. In addition, the utilization of panels which radiate radially from the body of the vehicle with storage boxes at the outer panel ends increases the spin moment of inertia improving the stability of the vehicle.

Abstract: An isolation or blocking diode for mounting alongside solar cells in solar cell panels such as used in flexible roll-up, rigid flat and cylindrical arrays, the diode having the thickness and shape of adjacent solar cells and functioning to prevent such problems as total solar panel failure in the event of shorts developing in a single solar cell group and a major power loss in case of partial shadowing of the panel.