mPower’s customized DragonSCALES silicon solar modules to provide cost-effective power solution for orbit-raising missions
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., June 14, 2022 – Innovative solar technology company, mPower Technology, today announced that its DragonSCALES™ solar power modules have been selected by Firefly Aerospace, Inc., an emerging leader in economical launch vehicles, spacecraft, and in-space services, to provide solar power for its latest Space Utility Vehicle (SUV).
The Firefly SUV will be launching in late 2022 for a 90-day mission to test its technology for transporting payloads in orbit, and other capabilities for Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander. DragonSCALES was selected for its flexible design, its inherent resiliency and reliability, and its ability to scale at an affordable price point.
Manufactured in the Unites States, DragonSCALES has been space-tested and is well-suited for Space 2.0 applications such as LEO (low-Earth orbit) constellations, lunar landed systems, electric orbit raising and space power generation and beaming.
“mPower’s responsive culture, proven technology, and cost-effective solutions are a natural fit with Firefly and are a game changer in space solar power, supporting our goal to provide reliable, cost-effective space transportation to our customers,” said Tad Theno, SUV program manager at Firefly Aerospace.
“The integration of DragonSCALES into the SUV will provide an attractive space power solution for Firefly’s customers,” said Kevin Hell, president and CEO of mPower Technology. “Our cost-effective, silicon-based technology is ideally suited for orbit-raising missions, and we believe our highly automated and scalable manufacturing processes and advantageous time to market will prove beneficial to both companies. We look forward to powering the next generation of Space 2.0 applications with this partnership.”
About mPower Technology
mPower Technology is shaping the future of solar power with a revolutionary new technology called DragonSCALES™, a completely flexible, interconnected mesh of miniature solar cells. Leveraging well-established and affordable materials, processes, and tools from the silicon photovoltaic (PV) and microelectronics industries, DragonSCALES enables completely new design options for solar power, removing the constraints of existing silicon and gallium arsenide solar solutions, and enabling highly flexible, resilient, light-weight designs that can be rapidly deployed at extremely low cost. For further information, please contact info@mpowertech.com, or visit www.mpowertech.com.
About Firefly Aerospace:
Firefly Aerospace, Inc. (“Firefly”) is an end-to-end space transportation company developing a family of launch, in-space vehicles and services to provide industry-leading affordability, convenience, and reliability. Firefly’s launch vehicles utilize common technologies, manufacturing infrastructure, and launch capabilities, providing LEO launch solutions for up to ten metric tons of payload at the lowest cost per kg in the small-launch class. Combined with Firefly’s in-space vehicles, such as the Space Utility Vehicle (SUV) and Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, Firefly provides the space industry with a single source for missions from LEO to the surface of the Moon or beyond. Firefly is headquartered in Cedar Park, TX. For more information please see: www.firefly.com.
