Solar has become one of the space industry’s most consequential procurement decisions.
The spotlight on power has intensified as the space economy grows, power-hungry applications (satcom, edge computing, orbital data centers) take off, operators hone in on keeping costs low, traditional solar (looking at you, III-V) faces existential supply issues, and new launch vehicles potentially upending mass, costs, and design constraints.
We spoke to over a dozen buyers and sellers of solar to understand the solar-chemistry options, the economics, and where the industry is heading.
In this report, we will look at:
- Terrestrial silicon, specialized silicon, III-V, perovskites, or other tech. Where the space solar market is heading
- Which solar technology fits each major space application
- When operators should choose silicon over III-V
- What cells and complete arrays actually cost
- The hidden costs of cheap solar
- How solar selection affects spacecraft design, launch packing, and maneuverability
- Why long-term demand is shifting toward silicon
- Why SpaceX’s silicon economics are so difficult to replicate
- Why III-V demand is still through the roof today, despite existential supply risk
- Which emerging technologies have the most potential