Asolar panel is a collection of solar cells. Lots of small solar cells spreadover a large area can work together to provide enough power to be useful. Themore light that hits a cell the more electricity it produces, so spacecraft areusually designed with solar panels that can always be pointed at the Sun evenas the rest of the body of the spacecraft moves around, much as a tank turretcan be aimed independently of where the tank is going.
Solarpanel refers either to a photovoltaic module, a solar thermal energy panel, orto a set of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules electrically connected and mountedon a supporting structure. A PV module is a packaged, connected assembly ofsolar cells. Solar panels can be used as a component of a larger photovoltaicsystem to generate and supply electricity in commercial and residentialapplications.
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