Ascent broadens CIGs Space testing program
Colarado-based thin film PV company Ascent Solar Technologies is expanding testing of its CIGS PV technology beyond low Earth orbit (LEO).
The in-house characterisation campaigns will validate the survivability and performance of the firm's solar technology in increasingly challenging space conditions, concluding in Q4 2026.
Previous NASA testing in LEO demonstrated CIGS PV’s potential to recover from radiation exposure through its self-annealing properties. Now, Ascent is extending that research to determine whether that same recovery is possible in the more demanding radiation environments of medium Earth orbit (MEO), geostationary orbit (GEO) and other high-energy orbits, to bolster the qualifications of its thin-film solar products for an expanding range of space applications.
“Emerging space markets like on-orbit servicing and assembly, space-based solar power, orbital data centres and others, depend on power systems that can reliably operate in extremely punishing environments,” said Paul Warley, CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies.
“Mission operators are increasingly prioritising solutions that reduce risk and improve long-term performance. By expanding the validation of our CIGS products’ use beyond LEO, we will establish them as the lowest-risk options for a vast range of next-generation space mission applications.”
