Meyer Burger, Solestial partner on solar cells for space

Swiss solar products maker Meyer Burger Technology AG (SWX:MBTN) and Solestial Inc, a Tempe, Arizona-based company focused on solar cells for space, are joining forces to scale the production of silicon solar technology for space applications.

As part of the strategic partnership, announced on Monday, Solestial will send proprietary ultra-thin, radiation-hardened silicon wafers to Meyer Burger, which will apply its silicon heterojunction technology and return them to Solestial’s facility in Tempe for solar cell metallisation finishing, and integration into flexible solar power modules. According to the announcement, the amount of wafers to be processed by Meyer Burger will enable Solestial to supply enough solar modules to power hundreds of spacecraft per year by mid-2025. The processing is expected to begin by September 1.

Meyer Burger recently launched manufacturing at its new solar module production facility in Goodyear, Arizona.

“This partnership with Meyer Burger allows Solestial to take the next step in scaling production, delivering for our customers, and meeting the ever-growing demand for reliable, cost-effective and abundant energy in space,” said Solestial CEO Stan Herasimenka.

Commenting on the development, Saurav Shroff, CEO at space infrastructure company Starpath, said: “At yesterday's cost and production scale of space-capable solar, our mission would be prohibitively expensive to accomplish. Solestial's solar technology is an unlock for Starpath and, we believe, for other next generation space infrastructure providers.”

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