Emcore to Deliver Solar Panels to ATK Space Systems for Orion Spacecraft
Source/Type: Reported News

Author: CompoundSemi News Staff

January 27, 2010... ATK Space Systems of Goleta, California has awarded Emcore Corporation a contract to manufacture, test, and deliver solar panels for ATK's UltraFlex solar arrays. The UltraFlex solar arrays will power the Orion spacecraft, which Lockheed Martin is developing for NASA. Emcore's contract runs through 2013 and is valued at $9 million to $11 million. The solar array system is used for only one mission. For this reason, Emcore is expected to continuously produce the solar panels for ATK's UltraFlex solar arrays through 2020 and beyond.

Emcore's latest ZTJ triple-junction solar cells will be designed into the solar panels delivered to ATK Space Systems. According to Emcore, the cells have a sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 30%, the highest performance space qualified multi-junction solar cells available. Production of the solar panels will take place at Emcore's manufacturing facilities located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

NASA's Orion crew exploration vehicle (CEV) program will replacing the current Space Shuttle and serve as its next generation human space transport system. It will be capable of transferring astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), the Moon and other destinations within the solar system. NASA expects to order multiple Orion Constellation vehicles over the next decade.

Dave Messner, Vice President and General Manager of ATK's Solar Array and Deployables site in Goleta, California stated, "The ATK UltraFlex™ solar array design will be providing 14kW of power per shipset with superior performance characteristics and mission enabling features..." Emcore News Release

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