Silicon, Perovskites and the Challengers to III-V Cells
Can cheaper solar technologies power the constellation boom, and what supply risks do they bring?
Chapter summary
yes for short-life satellites in low orbit, and they already do.
Key takeaways
- 1
Mega-constellations need tens of megawatts of cells a year, far beyond III-V capacity, so they fly silicon: cheaper per watt, made at vast scale for terrestrial markets, and adequate for a five-year life at 500 km.
- 2
Silicon space cells still need space-specific processing, thin cover glass and interconnects, and the bulk of the world's silicon wafer capacity is in China.
- 3
Perovskite and perovskite-silicon tandem cells promise III-V-like efficiency at silicon-like cost but have not yet proven long-term durability in orbit.
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Space Solar Cells: III-V Multi-Junction
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