Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEThe European Space Agency (ESA) is looking to establish a long-term space solar cell supply within its member states, meeting the growing demand of new space applications. In light of this, Fraunhofer ISE conducts a combined theoretical and experimental study. The primary goal of SPITERSOL-SPACE is to identify the opportunities to establish a short-term supply chain for space solar cells based on terrestrial technology, targeting low-cost and high-volume manufacturing potential. Moreover, adjustments of such solar cells for space applications will be explored, targeting end-of-life performance and other parameters as part of a technology roadmap.
Spin-in of Terrestrial Silicon Solar Cell Technology for Space Applications
SPITERSOL-SPACE
Customized solar cells can be processed on Fraunhofer ISE’s pilot line, using industrial tools.
Initial Situation
The New Space Economy (NSE) is growing rapidly and new applications are enabled by reduced costs for satellite launches. Earth observation missions in low orbit are a very useful tool to support sustainability goals, addressing farming, clean water, or climate protection.
To keep up with the rising demand, all parts of the value chain need to be secured. Recently, the supply of PV generators based on multijunction solar cells has been limited, which sparked interest in using cheaper, more simple single junction silicon solar cells as currently used for terrestrial applications.
These cells are available in larger numbers, but not optimized for space applications, where much more severe conditions than in terrestrial applications must be considered. Therefore, additional research needs to be conducted to fully quantify the potential of a spin-in of terrestrial PV technology.
With many years of experience, Fraunhofer ISE can analyze solar cells in depth and optimize customer products.
Objective
Enabling silicon-based PV devices for space applications can solve short term supply issues for low earth orbit (LEO) missions. However, this terrestrial technology needs to be adapted to best suit the requirements faced in space. For this, a detailed analysis of degradation mechanisms in LEO missions needs to be investigated and taken into consideration to optimize the PV devices accordingly.
Approach
Fraunhofer ISE will use the pilot line manufacturing capabilities in PV-TEC to produce and test solar cells based on terrestrial technology, adapted for space application. The learnings from these works are compiled and combined with the conceptual work, to create guidelines for potential manufacturers, which shall enable the fast establishment of a supply chain for ESA activities.
Besides these studies, Fraunhofer ISE is also looking for stakeholder engagement, involving end-users for such solar cells, focusing on short missions in low earth orbit (LEO).
Our focus spans from proof-of-concept to full prototyping, implementing up-to-date research and development.
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