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In the course of three years of testing no evidence has resulted to suggest that the twenty-year-life goal for photovoltaic modules will not be met. Results of studies of more than 600 modules under test show that they are generally enduring well both electrically and physically, particularly those from more recent procurements. Degradation tests performed at JPL indicate that electrical degradation is not a slow monotonically increasing phenomenon as originally thought but occurs abruptly as the result of some traumatic event. This finding has led to a change in the test philosophy. The report includes a discussion of this change, a summary of degradation and failure data from all the sites, results from a variety of special tests, and a description of new instrumentation for in-field measurements. The field testing activity was expanded by the addition of twelve remote sites located as far away as Alaska and the Canal Zone. A description of the new sites is also included.

From July, 1974, to December, 1979, the Laboratory for Nuclear Service (LNS) conducted a study of the feasibility of resource sharing via general - purpose computer networks. Originally, the study focused on methods of implementing an ARPAnet connection for LNS in collaboration with the MIT Information Processing Center (IPC). When it appeared that the most feasible solution for LNS was to access the ARPANET via the MIT Multics system, the investigation expanded to a consideration of the implementation of computer resource sharing via networks. Experiments were performed at various ERDA installations on the ARPANET in using the networks for offloading large calcuations and obtaining access to unique hardware and software. Performance statistics were collected and cost comparisons, made. Both the benefits and barriers of networking were analyzed. The value of electronic mail, teleconferencing, and other forms of computer-aided communication was also investigated. The study demonstrated that resource sharing via networks can provide small computer installations access to computer facilities not available on site. However, it is not adequate substitute for an on-site computer. There must be enough computing power locally to service the average load. Certain types of computations are not effectively done on the network. Use of the network …