With the grant, Solestial plans to optimize its lightweight, radiation-hardened solar cells and modules for rapid production and integration. The effort includes the development of new electrical interconnects and culminates in a fast-paced prototype demonstration. The company aims to fabricate 1 kilowatt of solar cells and modules over a two-week sprint, then assemble and integrate a fully functional solar wing in another two weeks, proving that complete solar arrays can be manufactured within one month.
The initiative targets key challenges identified by the Department of the Air Force (DAF), aligning with Solestial's commitment to advancing U.S. national defense capabilities. DAF launched the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 to broaden the technological solutions it funds.
"This is a meaningful award for us that will result in critical research and development benefiting the U.S. Space Force," said Margo de Naray, Solestial CEO. "Long manufacturing lead times have plagued the incumbent solar technology for space. Through our use of affordable, accessible silicon and automated manufacturing of solar cells and solar power modules, Solestial is uniquely positioned to solve this critical bottleneck and support mission readiness."
Solestial has received over $7 million in SBIR funding to date from agencies including the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Air Force, Air Force Research Laboratory, NASA, and the National Science Foundation.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.
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