Alta Devices Solar Power Enables Small Satellites With Disruptive Designs
Alta Devices:
What: Small satellites (SmallSats) are emerging as an important category of spacecraft worldwide. Developers want to take advantage of the low cost, ease of design and deployment, and flexibility of SmallSats, relative to other types of spacecraft. The prospect of leveraging space for applications as broad as communications, farming, and mining has spurred growth in the SmallSat industry globally. While satellites have always used solar technology, the demands required of this technology are more challenging for SmallSats. To enable the autonomy of small satellites, solar solutions must generate significant power from small launch packages, be lightweight, and, most importantly, empower engineers to be creative and innovative in today’s dynamic space industry. The best solar power for this new generation of space applications is efficient, lightweight, flexible, and scalable to constellations of satellites, without compromising design. Alta Devices unique solar technology meets these requirements, enabling accelerated growth of the industry.
Where and When: 32nd Annual Small Satellite Conference – August 4-9 2018, Logan, Utah Alta Devices Booth #145 Exhibition and discussion of the technology, materials, and business issues surrounding small satellites and solar technology. This will include details about the recent introduction of Alta Devices Gen4 solar cell technology and displays of solar panels, small satellite innovations and small satellites from our partners and customers.
Alta Devices will feature an ongoing presentation in its booth discussing the question: “How can you meet the power requirements of Space 2.0?”
Why: Innovative satellite designs need solar power to match. Lightweight, thin, flexible and tough gallium-arsenide solar cells from Alta Devices enable designs that are not possible with other solar technologies. Whether it’s coiled carbon fiber booms, flat-packed, polymer-based accordion arrays, or even inflatable structures, Alta Devices solar technology allows creative design approaches for maximizing power and effectiveness.
Alta cells provide a new level of mechanical and design flexibility for the small satellite industry by leveraging a patented, high-volume terrestrial manufacturing process to create high-efficiency solar arrays with excellent packing factor in a thin, flexible, and lightweight form-factor. This technology maximizes power while minimizing cost and launch-weight. Alta Devices is the world-record holder for single junction solar cells at 28.9 per cent efficiency (AM1.5). The newest generation product from Alta demonstrates a significant weight reduction from the previous version resulting in an improved power to weight ratio of up to 160 percent. Over time, these benefits will accrue to constellations of hundreds of small satellites.
About Alta Devices: Alta Devices is empowering autonomy by delivering the world’s most efficient, thin and flexible mobile power technology. By converting light of any kind into electricity, Alta Devices AnyLight™ power technology extends the energy source of a system, and in many cases, completely cuts the traditional power cord. The solution can be completely integrated into the final system, and is ideal for use in unmanned systems, satellites, consumer electronics, sensors, automotive, remote exploration, or anywhere size, weight, and mobility matter. Alta Devices holds world records for energy conversion efficiency and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA. For more information, visit http://www.altadevices.com. Alta Devices is a Hanergy company.
