SAN FRANCISCO – Solar energy startup Solestial won a $1.2 million Space Force contract to develop novel arrays for small satellites.
Under a SpaceWerx award announced July 16, Solestial will optimize silicon solar cells and power modules for speedy integration and assembly. In addition, Solestial will develop electrical interconnectors.
The project will culminate in Solestial manufacturing 1 kilowatt of solar cells and modules in two weeks, followed by a two-week sprint to assemble and integrate the solar array.
“This is a meaningful award for us that will result in critical research and development benefiting the U.S. Space Force,” Solestial CEO Margo de Naray said in a statement. “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.”
Tempe, Arizona-based Solestial manufactures silicon solar cells designed to anneal (or cure) radiation damage.
After raising $17 million in Series A funding and naming a new CEO in May, Solestial claimed the $1.2 million SpaceWERX Direct-to-Phase 2 contract.
Since its founding in 2013, Solestial has claimed more than $7 million in Small Business Innovation Research awards from the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Air Force, NASA and the National Science Foundation.