American company develops new solar cell technology for spacecraft, with good radiation resistance and 33,3% energy conversion efficiency.
Illustration of a spacecraft equipped with large solar panels.
New solar cell technology from American company Rocket Lab is entering the final quality testing phase, expected to be ready for commercial use later this year, Interesting Engineering reported on March 17. This technology is called IMM-β, invented by SolAero - the space solar energy company that Rocket Lab acquired in January.
The new solar cell uses patented Inverted MetaMorphic (IMM) technology, which has an energy conversion efficiency of about 33,3%. In addition, it is also 40% lighter than traditional solar cells used in space. For space missions, weight reduction is a big advantage because the launch process can cost millions of dollars more depending on the weight of the cargo.
Rocket Lab expects IMM-β to be the highest performing space solar cell technology when produced in large quantities. This technology provides an average efficiency of 33,3%, higher than the 32% level of current IMM-a technology. IMM-β solar cells also have good radiation tolerance with a lifespan of about 15 years in geostationary orbit.
Founded in 1998 and acquired by Rocket Lab in 2022, SolAero has produced solar cells and composite structural products for more than 1.000 space missions. Over the past two decades, SolAero products have contributed to the success of many major missions such as the Parker Solar Probe, the James Webb space telescope, the Insight Mars lander, as well as several spacecraft. Cygnus cargo for the International Space Station (ISS).
With Rocket Lab's help, new solar cell technology will soon be available, powering future space missions that will help unravel the universe's oldest mysteries.
According to VnExpress