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Date Announced: 02 Jul 2014
CIGS modules explored as economical, lightweight alternative to normal high-performance cells used in space.
THORNTON, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (ASTI), a manufacturer and developer of state-of-the-art, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules, announced today that its flexible, lightweight PV modules were selected by Vanguard Space Technologies (Vanguard) for their NASA Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program. The NASA program is intended to develop an economical, lightweight alternative to existing and emerging high-cost solar arrays for high-power space applications.
Vanguard will utilize proprietary space environment protection technology along with automated manufacturing approaches to create an ultra-thin, high power-to-weight ratio, large space solar array. These arrays will be enabled by Ascent’s flexible copper-indium-gallium-selenium (CIGS) technology; Ascent will leverage their experience with space-based solar products to provide space-optimized variants of their production PV.
“We are proud to have been chosen by Vanguard Space Technologies for this project,” stated Dr. Joseph Armstrong, Chief Technology Officer of Ascent Solar. “Existing and emerging space solar cell technologies, particularly when utilized in very large scale solar arrays, can present problems to the spacecraft designer, both in terms of cost and availability.
"By starting with our production CIGS monolithically-integrated modules, we can provide Vanguard with a module that is tuned for the space environment, and in a similar way to our products enabling novel commercial goods, our space CIGS modules will enable Vanguard to utilize its unique protective coating and design expertise to succeed in their goal of providing NASA an economical pathway for powering these future missions.”
“Vanguard is pleased to have the opportunity to incorporate Ascent’s CIGS cells into our solar array modules”, said Mr. Frank Belknap, CEO of Vanguard. “The advent of our extreme environment thin film coatings, automated manufacturing friendly array design, and Ascent’s proven cell technology provides an ideal solution for next generation durable, affordable, large-area space solar arrays.”
Source: Ascent Solar
E-mail: via web site
Web Site: www.ascentsolar.com
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