Together with AVS UK Ltd and the University of Leicester, we have successfully delivered a £1.1 million UK Space Agency–funded project under the National Space Innovation Programme.
This 18-month collaboration addressed power-density challenges facing small and medium-sized satellites through the development of a roll-out, in-orbit deployable flexible solar blanket. The prototype integrates ultra-thin, high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells into highly flexible sheets, combined with AVS UK’s innovative deployment mechanism and mechanical and environmental testing conducted by the University of Leicester.
The resulting deployable solar blanket stows into a compact launch configuration and delivers higher power density and specific power, enabling more capable payloads, extended mission lifetimes, and a future pathway towards electric propulsion applications.
As small to medium satellites are expected to account for the majority of future launches, advanced lightweight power solutions such as this will be essential in enabling longer missions and increased functionality.
This project demonstrates the strength of UK space collaboration, and we look forward to continuing our work with AVS UK Ltd as development progresses into the next phase.
SME Instrument (European Commission)
Lightricity has been awarded the SME Instrument EU grant funding to develop the next generation of Photovoltaic Energy Harvesting devices.
