Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced that it has been chosen by Japan’s space agency as the representative organization for a technology development project named “Development of Domestic Solar Cells, Cover Glass, and Solar Cell Arrays.” The company has signed a contract with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to cover this development.
As part of this project, Mitsubishi Electric will collaborate with domestic suppliers possessing expertise in the solar cell field to develop low-cost, mass-producible solar cells. Furthermore, the company will verify the suitability of glass used for terrestrial products in the space environment and work towards the mass production of low-cost cover glass. Additionally, Mitsubishi Electric will develop new solar cell arrays utilizing the novel solar cells and cover glass, aiming to facilitate the smooth domestic production of these cells. By reducing the cost of solar cell arrays and their components and strengthening supply capacity, the company will contribute to reinforcing the domestic satellite supply chain.
For the development of the solar cells, Mitsubishi Electric will partner with the Japanese company PXP, which possesses cutting-edge technology in the solar cell field and conducts research and development on next-generation photovoltaic conversion elements, such as perovskite and CIGS structures.
This collaboration will focus on the practical application of perovskite/CIGS tandem solar cells in the space environment. These solar cells offer conversion efficiency comparable to conventional products and are expected to maintain this efficiency while demonstrating higher resistance to space radiation compared to traditional options. Moreover, both perovskite and CIGS solar cells can be manufactured more easily, cheaply, and in larger volumes than conventional products. By combining PXP’s advanced solar cell manufacturing technology with Mitsubishi Electric’s extensive expertise in satellite system development and manufacturing, the partnership aims to facilitate the cost-effective mass production of solar cells that maintain high reliability and conversion efficiency even in space.
