Solar cell array with lightweight support structure

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A structure comprising: an aluminum honeycomb core member having first and second surfaces, at least one ply of an epoxy-reinforced polyparabenzamide fabric sheet adhering to each said surfaces, a plurality of electrical devices having a given coefficient of thermal expansion adherently secured to the outer surface of one of said fabric epoxy sheets; and a plurality of epoxy-reinforced carbon fiber stiffener elements, each having a long axis and a transverse axis, said stiffener elements adhering to the exposed surface of the other of said fabric-epoxy sheets, said fabric epoxy sheets, electrical devices, and stiffener elements all having substantially the same effective coefficient of thermal expansion in a given direction parallel to the surfaces of said fabric epoxy sheets.
2.
The structure of claim 1 wherein said stiffener elements each comprise a core layer of epoxy-reinforced carbon fibers woven in orthogonal directions formed into a channel extending in a direction parallel to said long axis and first and second flanges extending in a direction normal to said long axis from the extended edges of corresponding first and second legs of said channel, said elements further including at least one ply of epoxy-reinforced uni-directional carbon fibers whose fibers extend only in a direction parallel to said long axis, said latter at least one ply being attached to said flanges and the base region of said channel on both sides of said base region and on both sides of each of said flanges.
3.
The structure of claim 1 wherein said stiffener elements include two parallel straight channel members extending edge-to-opposite-edge of said fabric-epoxy sheet and a group of straight channel members connected to and between said parallel members in a generally "H-shaped" array.
4.
The structure of claim 3 wherein said stiffener elements are connected at spaced joints further including a plurality of polyparabenzamide fabric-epoxy reinforced gusset members over said elements at said spaced joints