Solar panels: essential in space, important for us on earth

22 September 2024 - Esther Sloots

Solar panels are crucial for successful missions in space. This high-tech solution, in which Airbus Netherlands is a global leader, plays a key role in the reliable supply of energy to satellites.

‘Solar panels are the smartest and most sustainable means of generating energy in space,’ emphasises Rob van Hassel, expert in the field of solar panels at Airbus Netherlands. ‘There is simply no better alternative.’

Why solar panels in space?

Other energy sources such as fuel cells or batteries are not practical in space. Fuel cells use liquid hydrogen and oxygen, are heavy and difficult to transport and also dangerous (Apollo 13!), and batteries run out. And nuclear energy is too dangerous in the event of a launch failure and the rocket exploding. Solar panels, on the other hand, offer a constant, reliable power supply. ‘As long as they capture sunlight, they continue to produce energy,’ explains Van Hassel. This makes solar panels the ideal energy source in an environment where efficiency and lifespan are important. Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity using solar cells. These absorb photons from sunlight, which causes electrons in the atoms of the solar cells to move and an electric current to be created. This current supplies the various systems on board a spacecraft with energy.

Complex and Innovative

Designing solar panels for space missions is complex and requires innovative materials and techniques. ‘Solar panels in space are designed to withstand exceptional conditions,’ says Van Hassel. During launch, extreme forces are exerted on the wings. At that moment, they are tightly clamped against the satellite, to be folded out once in space. A task that must be guaranteed to succeed in order to be able to supply the satellite with power during the mission. The solar panels in space are then exposed to extremely high and low temperatures, the harmful ultraviolet part of the solar radiation, and other forms of solar and cosmic radiation.

While the Earth’s atmosphere and the Earth’s magnetic field offer protection against these dangers, they are completely absent in space. That is why solar panels for space travel must be extra strong and resistant to aging. ‘The solar panels not only have to be very sturdy, the solar cells also have to function flawlessly until the end of the mission, and at the same time everything has to be extremely light,’ adds van Hassel.

Made in Holland

Airbus Netherlands has been playing a pioneering role in the development of these advanced solar panels for decades and is involved in various high-profile, innovative missions in that role. For example, ‘made in Holland’ wings ensure that the Artemis astronauts will soon reach the moon, the earth observation mission Sentinel-2 and the weather satellite MetOp are equipped with solar panels from Airbus Netherlands, and Dutch solar panels provide power to ESA’s JUICE and NASA’s Europa Clipper satellites, both bound for Jupiter.

The next innovative step is the production of no fewer than 200 Sparkwing solar panels for the Lightspeed constellation, a satellite network that provides global communication coverage using laser beams. Thanks to Dutch solar panels, all these satellites can perform their – very different – tasks. And that is crucial, because space technology and satellite data are increasingly indispensable for our (vital) infrastructure, climate, science and our safety.

Rob van Hassel will share his knowledge at the XXXV Planetary Congress of the Association of Space Explorers. The presentation on Monday 30 September can be followed live via the livestream.