How Space Shuttle Discovery got its Solar-powered Wings

If you want to get into space, you need combustible fuel. But if you want to stay operational in space, you need to harness the power of the sun itself.

Hosted by: Caitlin Hofmeister

SciShow has a spinoff podcast! It's called SciShow Tangents. Check it out at http://www.scishowtangents.org
----------
Support SciShow Space by becoming a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SciShowSpace
----------
Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporter for helping us keep SciShow Space free for everyone forever: GrowingViolet & Jason A Saslow!

----------
Like SciShow? Want to help support us, and also get things to put on your walls, cover your torso and hold your liquids? Check out our awesome products over at DFTBA Records: http://dftba.com/scishow
----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/scishow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/scishow
Tumblr: http://scishow.tumblr.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/thescishow
----------
Sources:

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/217146702.pdf
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19870010947/downloads/19870010947.pdf
https://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/pdfs/solar_timeline.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20010123234800/http://www.shuttlepresskit.com/STS-97/payload81.htm
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archives/sts-97.html
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/solar_arrays-about.html
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/np-2015-05-022-jsc-iss-guide-2015-update-111015-508c.pdf
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-solar-arrays-to-power-nasa-s-international-space-station-research
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/changing-how-solar-power-rolls
https://www.energy.gov/articles/space-based-solar-power
https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1958-002B
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23615043_Measurement_of_orbital_dynamics_of_the_OAST-1_Solar_Array_using_recorded_video_images
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/35-years-ago-sts-41d-first-flight-of-space-shuttle-discovery
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8548030

Images

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:International_Space_Station_after_undocking_of_STS-132.jpg
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/changing-how-solar-power-rolls
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/35-years-ago-sts-41d-first-flight-of-space-shuttle-discovery
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1958-03-17_3rd_Vanguard_Successful.webm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm-t0DgBVUs&t=29s&ab_channel=NASAJetPropulsionLaboratory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pm4MbIwRDw&ab_channel=NASAJohnson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:STS-41-D_Crew_Enjoying_Space_-_GPN-2004-00024.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Judith_A._Resnik,_official_portrait_(cropped).jpg