LONGMONT, Colo., August 4, 2026 — Source Energy Company and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have jointly developed a new product line for space satellites based on silicon solar cells. The solar arrays use a special interconnection technology. Combined with inexpensive silicon solar cells, this enables modules at much lower cost than the standard III-V technology that currently dominates the space sector. The automated production process, using M10 Solar Equipment GmbH’s Shingle-Matrix Stringer, allows Source Energy to deliver its products in less than six months from the time of order.
Source Energy brought the technology into production in June 2026, installing an industrial shingle-matrix stringer at its manufacturing facility in Colorado. The machine was developed by M10 Solar Equipment GmbH and proven out during a prototyping phase at the Module-TEC facility of Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg. Under an exclusivity agreement with M10 Solar, Source Energy is the only company in the world with access to the machine for building shingle-matrix solar modules for the space industry.
As the heart of our production, it enables us to manufacture PV panels for less than $5 per watt. The automated manufacturing process not only makes us more cost-effective but also significantly faster than is currently the case with III-V PV products for space.
Bryan Mazor, CTO, Source Energy Company
Solar cells based on III-V materials are the current standard for power generation in space. However, their high cost and limited availability are major constraints for commercial missions, particularly satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Together with Source Energy, we have therefore developed silicon-based solar modules for space applications, similar to those already in successful and cost-effective use on Earth.
Dr. Achim Kraft, Head of PV Module Technologies, Fraunhofer ISE
The resulting solar modules are compact and lightweight:
- Mass: 64 grams
- Active area: 629 square centimeters, in a 321 by 209 millimeter module
- Average power output: 15.6 watts, with the best modules reaching 16.1 watts
- Average active area efficiency: 18.8 percent (AM0 at 25 °C)
- Specific power: 252 watts per kilogram, competitive with other silicon modules in its class
The silicon solar cells are interconnected using shingle-matrix technology, where individual cells are cut into strips and arranged with a set overlap and spacing relative to one another, like brickwork. An electrically conductive adhesive bonds the cells together.
Test results confirm space-readiness
Once on a mission, high resistance to extreme temperature fluctuations is crucial for the solar panels. The research team at Fraunhofer ISE therefore selected materials that maintain their performance under those conditions. Source Energy subjected the newly developed module to comprehensive space qualification testing and confirmed that it falls within the 25 percent qualification threshold for space applications. After seven years of operation in space, the module is expected to retain 76 percent of its original power output.
Shingle-matrix design makes solar modules rugged for space
Three features make the shingle-matrix interconnection perfect for space: resilience to localized physical damage from impacts by small objects in space, flexibility in layout, and tolerance to extreme temperature differences.
Najwa Abdel Latif, Project Manager, Fraunhofer ISE
If the solar panel is damaged, for example by a small meteorite or space debris, the matrix arrangement of the solar cells allows the current to simply flow around the damaged area. At the same time, the rows and columns of solar cells in the layout can be flexibly adjusted depending on the satellite’s voltage and current requirements.
“The shingle-matrix technology is compatible with wafer-based solar cells featuring front and back contacts, such as PERC or silicon heterojunction, without having to adapt the production line,” says Abdel Latif. “Thanks to the low-temperature interconnection process, there will be no issues with the future technology of perovskite silicon tandem either.”
The SOURCE MOD-0015-02, a space-qualified silicon solar module built with shingle-matrix cell interconnection. © Source Energy Company
The SOURCE MOD-0015-02, a space-qualified silicon solar module built with shingle-matrix cell interconnection. © Source Energy Company
Tests confirm that Source Energy's PV modules and arrays can be expected to deliver 76 percent of their original power output after seven years in space. © Fraunhofer ISE / Graphic: Najwa Abdel Latif
About Source Energy Company
Source Energy Company manufactures space-grade silicon solar modules and arrays at industrial scale. Founded in 2021, the company has had hardware on orbit since November 2023 and serves more than 25 customers across telecommunications, defense, Earth observation, in-space services, and on-orbit compute. Source is headquartered in Longmont, Colorado, with manufacturing in Niwot, and was co-founded by Philip Keller, CEO, and Bryan Mazor, CTO. Space Power at Industrial Scale. source.space
About Fraunhofer ISE
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, headquartered in Germany, is one of the world’s leading organizations for applied research. It plays a major role in innovation by prioritizing research on cutting-edge technologies and the transfer of results to industry, strengthening Germany’s industrial base and benefiting society as a whole. Founded in 1949, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft currently operates 74 institutes and research units throughout Germany. Its nearly 30,000 employees, predominantly scientists and engineers, work with an annual business volume of 3.6 billion euros, of which 3.2 billion euros stems from contract research. ise.fraunhofer.de
