ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Oct. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SolAero
Technologies Corp. (SolAero), a leading provider of high efficiency
solar cells, solar panels, and composite structural products for
satellite and aerospace applications, populated Northrop Grumman
Space Systems' (NGSS') UltraFlex© solar arrays with its patented
ZTJ solar cell technology to power NASA's Lucy Mission. Powered by
SolAero's high-efficiency, triple-junction ZTJ solar cells, the
Lockheed Martin designed and manufactured Lucy spacecraft launched
successfully on October
16th, 2021 aboard the United Launch Alliance
Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Lucy will
be the first mission to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids. An
odyssey of 12 years, 4-billion miles, and eight asteroids, Lucy
will revolutionize our knowledge of planetary origins and the
formation of the solar system. The "fossils" of the solar system
could hold clues about what conditions were like when the planets
formed, leading to an even greater understanding of our
origins.
SolAero's ZTJ solar cells that have been demonstrated to exhibit
superior performance under demanding Low Intensity sunlight and Low
Temperature (LILT) conditions characteristic of interplanetary
missions like Lucy. UltraFlex® is an accordion fanfold
flexible-blanket solar array comprising interconnected triangular
shaped ultra-lightweight substrates. The Lucy Mission has a
UltraFlex® solar array; at a mere 4 inches thick when stowed, but
nearly 24 feet in diameter when expanded. SolAero has powered over
20 missions using the UltraFlex® solar array technology, including
several Cygnus CRS (Cargo Resupply Missions to the International
Space Station) spacecraft and the Mars InSight Lander, the largest
solar array ever deployed on the surface of Mars.
"We were delighted to see the culmination of so much hard work
by so many partners embodied in today's launch of Lucy," said
Brad Clevenger, President and CEO of
SolAero Technologies. "We offer our sincere congratulations to
the entire Lucy team, in particular our long-time partners at NASA,
Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin."
About SolAero Technologies Corp.
SolAero Technologies is a leading provider of satellite solar
power solutions and precision aerospace structures to the global
space markets, encompassing a wide array of applications including
civil space exploration, science and earth observation, defense
intelligence and communication, and commercial telecommunications
industries. The business was founded in 1998 and is headquartered
in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
For more information about SolAero, visit
https://solaerotech.com/
About Northrop Grumman Space Systems
Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems designs, builds and delivers
space, defense and aviation-related systems to customers around the
world. Our main products include launch vehicles and related
propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense
electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition;
satellites and associated space components and services; and
advanced aerospace structures. For more information about NGIS,
visit www.northropgrumman.com
Contact:
Mr. Timothy Billstrand
Proposal and Marketing Manager
(505) 332-5199
Timothy_Billstrand@SolAeroTech.com
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SOURCE SolAero Technologies Corp