By eliminating vacuum processes and photolithography, the manufacturing effort and costs of space solar cells can be drastically reduced. The technology also has potential applications on Earth, such as in concentrating photovoltaics and photovoltaic converters for laser radiation for optical power transfer or LEDs. With the win in the competition, the Fraunhofer ISE research team now has the opportunity to develop and test the technology as part of a DLR-funded project. The project is titled "TeraPV-4-Space" (Utilization of Terrestrial PV Manufacturing Technology for Space Applications).

"In recent years, the costs for space transportation have drastically decreased, enabling many new applications. Currently, there is a significant shortage of suitable space solar cells for the energy supply of satellites. With our project, we can help meet this demand more cost-effectively in the future," explains Jonas De Rose regarding the motivation behind the initiative.

The award ceremony took place on September 17, 2025, at the Futurium Berlin. INNOspace Masters is an international innovation competition conducted by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology, and Space. It was launched in 2015 and is open to companies, start-ups, research institutions, universities, and individuals worldwide.