US Space Force To Test New Space Solar Solution

The US Space Force is advancing its solar power capabilities by investing $2 million to test a new lightweight, redeployable solar array called LightWing, developed by the startup Atomic-6. This innovative array reportedly delivers four times more power per kilogram than traditional solar arrays and features a simple, reliable design with monostable composite hinges that enhance deployment reliability. The technology promises to reduce satellite deployment failures—the leading cause of premature satellite mortality—and supports advanced satellite maneuvers such as Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking (RPOD) by allowing arrays to retract and redeploy during a satellite’s operational life. This initiative is part of a broader Space Force effort to accelerate innovation in space power and propulsion technologies through its University Consortium and Space Strategic Technology Institute programs. Since its establishment, the Space Force has awarded significant grants to academic institutions like Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, and University of Buffalo to develop next-generation photovoltaic materials, including perovskites, and other space domain technologies