The race is on to power up with perovskite solar cells in space

Perovskite solar cells are increasingly being viewed as a possible game-changer as a source of power in space – here’s why.

Low Earth orbit satellites need a reliable juice source as they zip around the planet, and solar panels have been the go-to. The old-school choice for space-bound solar cells has been gallium arsenide panels. They’re about 30% efficient, which is good, and they’re durable, but they’re also expensive. That’s because gallium, a soft, silvery metal, is hard to come by and has a complex manufacturing process.

Enter the potential of perovskite solar cells. They’re cheaper to make, can be deployed on flexible polymer sheets, and they’re catching up fast on the efficiency front, with the potential even to outperform gallium arsenide, which is a pretty big deal. However, the stability of perovskite solar cells is still a work in progress.

Tampa-based Merida Aerospace, a four-year-old “vertical space” startup in its incubation period, says it’s going to turn its hand to developing perovskite solar cells for satellites. Research engineer Andrea Marquez, who’s heading up the development project, says that “perovskite solar cells have demonstrated remarkable resilience to high-energy radiation in space conditions, thanks to a self-healing effect. Furthermore, the arrangement of perovskite crystals is influenced by space temperatures, enhancing their light absorption capabilities.”

Merida Aerospace joins heavy hitters already testing perovskite’s potential in space. In May 2023, Dr. Lyndsey McMillon-Brown, a NASA research engineer, celebrated the success of a spaceflight demonstration testing perovskite durability on the International Space Station. After a 10-month exposure, the perovskite film displayed resilience and unexpected restorative properties. This opened exciting possibilities for perovskite in space, challenging previous doubts.

In July 2023, researchers at the University of Sydney, Australia, said they discovered that perovskite solar cells could regenerate themselves when damaged in space.

And in January 2023, researchers at the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) proved that an ultrathin protective coating of silicon oxide can protect a perovskite solar cell in space.

What do you think about perovskite solar cells’ potential in space? Let us know in the comments below.

Read more: Scientists figured out how to protect perovskite solar cells in space

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