Australia's SunDrive Launches R&D on Copper-Based Solar Cells for Space Applications

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 10, Australian solar technology company SunDrive Solar and spacecraft hardware and software manufacturer Space Machines Company announced the launch of a joint R&D project for space solar arrays, with plans to apply SunDrive's copper-metallized heterojunction solar cells to Space Machines Company's Optimus Viper spacecraft. The first phase of the project, running until April 2027, will complete a solar panel mounted on the spacecraft body and a flight-sized prototype, and conduct environmental tests including thermal vacuum and vibration testing, providing engineering validation data for subsequent practical spacecraft applications.

The core of this collaboration is to convert terrestrial photovoltaic cell manufacturing technology into power supply components adapted to the space environment. SunDrive uses its independently developed direct copper electroplating technology to replace silver used in conventional solar cell metallization processes with copper, reducing dependence on precious metal materials. Its copper-based heterojunction cells use an ultra-thin silicon wafer structure, balancing photoelectric conversion efficiency and weight control. For spacecraft, the mass of solar arrays affects payload configuration, and reducing the weight of cell components can reserve more mass capacity for communication equipment, scientific instruments and other mission payloads.

Optimus Viper is an autonomous spacecraft planned for development by Space Machines Company, with a design mass of approximately 200 kg, targeting low Earth orbit missions. This R&D effort adopts a spacecraft body-mounted solar panel approach, integrating solar components directly onto the spacecraft's external structure rather than using large independent deployable solar wings. This design requires coordinated consideration of cell component dimensions, structural connections, thermal dissipation and overall spacecraft mass distribution.

The two parties have divided the R&D work. SunDrive is responsible for solar cell screening, component design, lamination manufacturing and electrical characteristic testing; Space Machines Company is responsible for solar panel substrate design, structural and thermal analysis, component assembly and testing, and mounting the prototype onto the Optimus Viper structural model. The two parties will also jointly develop the bonding process between solar components and substrates, addressing structural connection issues under launch vibration and in-orbit temperature variation conditions.

After prototype manufacturing is completed, the solar panels will undergo thermal vacuum and vibration testing. Thermal vacuum testing is used to simulate the space vacuum environment and extreme temperature cycles, verifying the stability of cell components, electrical connections and bonded structures under temperature variations; vibration testing simulates the mechanical loads generated during rocket launch, checking whether component structures and connection points can withstand vibration during launch. The relevant test results will be used for subsequent design adjustments and space-grade product validation.

This collaboration is also a project extending SunDrive's copper-based cell technology from terrestrial photovoltaic manufacturing to the space energy sector. Australia currently relies heavily on imported products for space-grade solar array supply, and the two parties hope to establish an Australian domestic space solar component supply chain by combining local cell manufacturing, spacecraft structural design and environmental testing capabilities.

After the first phase is completed, the two parties will decide on subsequent R&D arrangements based on prototype test results. The next phase goals include developing deployable solar arrays and exploring the supply of related products to Space Machines Company's subsequent spacecraft and other satellite manufacturers.