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Lander power is provided by a 42-cell battery package charged
by a 4 panel solar array that is combined to produce a single
main supply. Power management is by software with power conditioning
through the "Common Electronics" and features a simple
linear series power regulator with the bus following battery
voltage. Losses are minimised, particularly at night, when some
of the experiments operate.
The batteries are lithium ion technology. To help keep the
batteries warm a layer of thermally absorbing material transfers
heat from the sun into the battery compartment during the
daytime to ensure the power system remains at a temperature
above the harsh martian environment. The solar cells are gallium
arsenide using germanium substrate with an 80 micron coverglass
providing high performance.
The solar cells are mounted on four deployable panels that
fold out from within the lander as part of the automatic landing
sequence. The total solar array is about one square metre.
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