NTU Singapore sends perovskite PV to space
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has successfully launched a satellite carrying perovskite solar cells developed locally for testing in space
The CRIMSON-1 satellite will gather real-world performance data on lightweight perovskite solar cells in the harsh environment of space, while also testing technologies that could help future spacecraft analyse raw data before beaming it back to Earth.
CRIMSON-1 is NTU’s 14th satellite launched into space and it is among the first projects supported by the National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) under Singapore’s Space Access Programme (SAP) as part of the national Space Technology Development Programme.
The programme gives Singapore researchers and companies opportunities to test technologies such as advanced materials, solar cells and edge computing systems in orbit, build flight heritage and shorten the path from laboratory development to space validation.
CRIMSON-1 was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the Transporter-18 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States, on 1 October.
Ms Ngiam Le Na, CEO of the National Space Agency of Singapore, said: “Perovskite solar cells will provide a compelling advantage over conventional solar panels – their thin, lightweight properties make them particularly well-suited for space applications, where every gram matters. Missions like CRIMSON-1 represent a pathway for homegrown innovations to gain flight heritage needed to progress towards commercial application. By giving our researchers and companies the opportunity to test and validate their technologies in orbit, we are helping them build the credibility and track record needed to compete in the global space economy.”
Since 2022, the Singapore government has set aside S$210 million under the Space Technology Development Programme to support research and development in space technologies and build national capabilities.
NTU has been a pioneer in perovskite solar cell research since a landmark Science paper in 2013, when a team showed that electrical charges could travel unusually long distances through perovskite materials, helping to explain their high solar-cell efficiency.
Since then, NTU researchers have scaled up perovskite solar cells towards module sizes suitable for industry applications and developed prototypes aimed at improving their performance and stability.
However, for space applications, new solar technologies must prove that they can survive the physical stresses of a rocket launch and endure the harsh conditions of space while generating consistent power.
CRIMSON-1 will test the cells’ physical durability and efficiency after their journey from the ground into space and measure how much electrical power they generate in Low Earth Orbit.
The satellite is supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which secured satellite spectrum and orbital resources from the International Telecommunication Union for its operation.
