NASA Mission to Utilize Flexible, Lightweight Solar Panels for Power
Ascent Solar Technologies, a solar PV company based in Colorado, is set to showcase its lightweight, flexible, and durable CIGS thin-film photovoltaic (PV) panels on an upcoming NASA space mission.
The company revealed on Monday that NASA has selected its solar technology for the Lightweight Integrated Solar Array and AnTenna (LISA-T) mission, slated for launch later this year.
NASA’s Innovative Mission
The mission, spearheaded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and the Marshall Space Flight Center, aims to demonstrate the deployment of large-area solar arrays on small, cost-effective spacecraft.
Described by NASA as a launch stowed, orbit deployed array, LISA-T incorporates thin-film photovoltaic and antenna elements. Given the constraints of small satellites in terms of surface area, volume, and weight, innovative solutions are essential.
Advancements in Solar Technology
LISA-T represents a significant advancement in solar array technology, offering lower mass and stowed volume while delivering three times more power compared to other solar PV technologies.
As part of NASA’s Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator (PTD) series, LISA-T, also known as PTD-4, is managed by NASA’s Ames Research Center. The deployable solar arrays
