682900news17509468211751990144<![CDATA[Space Station Testing Will Evaluate Photovoltaic Materials]]>
Solar cells account for approximately six percent of the electricity used on Earth; however, in space, they play a significantly larger role, with nearly all satellites relying on advanced solar cells for their power. That’s why Georgia Tech researchers will soon send 18 photovoltaic cells to the International Space Station for a study of how space conditions affect the devices’ operation over time.
“The main goal here is to improve power generation in space,” said Jud Ready, principal research engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and Executive Director of Georgia Tech's Space Research Institute. “The limiting factor on the performance of a spacecraft is usually how much power you can produce. Power, size, weight, complexity, cost – all of these are tied closely to the electrical generation of the solar panels.”
]]>
2025-06-24T00:00:00-04:00Solar cells account for approximately six percent of the electricity used on Earth; however, in space, they play a significantly larger role, with nearly all satellites relying on advanced solar cells for their power. That’s why Georgia Tech researchers will soon send 18 photovoltaic cells to the International Space Station for a study of how space conditions affect the devices’ operation over time.]]>677288image<![CDATA[The devices under test will include halide perovskite-based cells, a likely materials platform for next-generation solar cells. ]]>261172image/jpegMedia Inquiries: gtri.media@gtri.gatech.edu
Writer: John Toon (john.toon@gtri.gatech.edu) GTRI Communications Georgia Tech Research Institute Atlanta, Georgia USA