EMCORE PhotoVoltaics Awarded Mars Cruise Stage Solar Panel Manufacturing
Albuquerque, NM - EMCORE Corporation, announced recently that the Photovoltaics Division has been awarded a $2M contract by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Center for the design, manufacturing, testing and delivery of fully integrated solar panels for the Mars Cruise Stage spacecraft. This spacecraft is designed to carry the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover and communicate with the entry vehicle that will carry the rover to the surface of the planet. The launch of the spacecraft is planned for fall of 2009.
Scheduled for delivery in mid 2008, the Mars Cruise Stage solar panels will provide more than 1 kW end-of-life (EOL) power to the spacecraft while operating at a distance of 1.6 Astronomical Units (AU) from the sun. These panels will be powered by EMCORE's latest generation 28.5% efficiency multi- junction solar cells. Production of the solar cells and panels will take place at EMCORE's manufacturing facilities located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
David Danzilio, Vice President and General Manager of EMCORE's PhotoVoltaics Division stated, "We are very pleased to receive this award from JPL and appreciate their confidence in our capability to manufacture and deliver solar panels for this very important space exploration mission. This solar panel procurement from NASA-JPL confirms EMCORE Photovoltaics position as the leading solar panel supplier for interplanetary missions. Our proven manufacturing capability, technology leadership and highest reliability solar panels in industry make EMCORE the supplier of choice for demanding spacecraft power systems."
EMCORE is the world's largest manufacturer of highly efficient radiation hard solar cells for space power applications. With a beginning-of-life (BOL) conversion efficiency of 28.5% and the option for a patented, onboard monolithic bypass diode, EMCORE's industry leading multi-junction solar cells can provide the highest power to interplanetary spacecrafts and earth orbiting satellites. These advanced solar cells have also been adapted for use in terrestrial concentrator applications and have attained conversion efficiencies in excess of 37%. These products will make possible cost competitive concentrating photovoltaic systems for use in utility scale solar power stations.
"EMCORE Photovoltaics Division continues to grow at a rapid pace, and has recently secured more than a dozen new production programs for fully integrated space solar panels. Our recently completed expansion provides EMCORE with the capacity to meet the most challenging requirements of our space and terrestrial customers. EMCORE remains committed to manufacturing the highest quality, best performing solar power products in the industry. Satellite manufacturers and solar array integrators continue to rely on EMCORE as their only independent source that meets all of their satellite power needs," added Reuben F. Richards, Jr., President and CEO of EMCORE.
On October 30, 2006, EMCORE Photovoltaics Division officially opened its new 20,000 sq ft manufacturing facility designed for space and terrestrial solar panel production. The opening ceremony for this $2.5M expansion of its Albuquerque operation was attended by Dr., Thomas Russell, the Chairman of the Board of EMCORE Corporation, Reuben F. Richards Jr., EMCORE's Chief Executive Officer, US Senator Pete Domenici, US Representative Heather Wilson and New Mexico Lt. Governor Dianne Denish.
SOURCE: EMCORE Corporation