Solar Energy
NASA’s Lucy stretches its wings in successful solar panel deployment test
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft has successfully completed thermal vacuum testing of both solar panels, the final step in checking out these critical spacecraft components in preparation for launch this fall. Once the Lucy spacecraft’s solar panels are attached and fully extended, they could cover a five-story building.
Lucy, the 13th mission in NASA’s Discovery Program, requires these large solar panels as it will operate farther from the Sun than any previous solar-powered space mission. During its 12-year tour of the Trojan asteroids, the Lucy spacecraft will operate a record-breaking 530 million miles (853 million km) from the Sun, beyond the orbit of Jupiter.
“The success of Lucy’s final solar array deployment test marked the end of a long road of development. With dedication and excellent attention to detail, the team overcame every obstacle to ready these solar panels,” said Matt Cox, Lockheed Martin’s Lucy program manager, in Littleton, Colorado. “Lucy will travel farther from the Sun than any previous solar-powered Discovery-class mission, and one reason we can do that is the technology in these solar arrays.”
The solar arrays, manufactured by Northrop Grumman in Goleta, California, will be supplying power to the spacecraft and its instruments throughout the 12-year mission. The solar panels need to supply around 500 watts, about equivalent to the energy needed to run a washing machine. Despite this relatively modest need, the solar panels must be large as they need to operate so far from the Sun.
“At about one hour after the spacecraft launches, the solar panels will need to deploy flawlessly in order to assure that we have enough energy to power the spacecraft throughout the mission,” said Principal Investigator Hal Levison of the Southwest Institute in Boulder, Colorado. “These 20 minutes will determine if the rest of the 12 year mission will be an success. Mars landers have their seven minutes of terror, we have this.”
Solar array deployment tests occurred between December 2020 and February 2021 in the 29-foot-by-65-foot (8.8-meter-by-19.8-meter) thermal vacuum chamber at Lockheed Martin Space, where the spacecraft is currently undergoing assembly, launch, and testing operations.
Though when folded up the solar panels are a mere 4 inches (10 cm) thick, once expanded each solar panel has a diameter of nearly 24 feet (7.3 meters). What is more, the solar arrays can’t support their own weight of 170 pounds (77kg) each in Earth gravity, so a special precision weight offload device is employed inside the chamber for additional support.
“In spite of their complexity and size, the mechanical deployment of the arrays executed flawlessly, said Donya Douglas-Bradshaw, Lucy project manager from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “The ingenuity and innovation of the team is truly remarkable!”
These key tests bring the spacecraft one step closer to launch readiness. The Lucy spacecraft will be shipped to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida this summer to ready it for launch when its window opens in the pre-dawn hours of Oct. 16, 2021.
800-mn-euro battery factory to be built in Finland
by AFP Staff Writers
Helsinki (AFP) Mar 20, 2025
A Chinese-Finnish company announced Thursday it would begin building a battery materials plant in Finland in April, the first of its kind in the Nordic country.
The plant will produce cathode active material, a key component in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and for energy storage, said Easpring Finland New Materials, a company co-owned by Finnish Minerals Group and Beijing Easpring Material Technology.
It said the investment was worth 800 million euros ($868 million).
The announcement came one week after a bankruptcy filing by Swedish battery maker Northvolt, which had planned to develop cathode production but dropped those plans to focus on battery cell production as it fought for survival.
Easpring Finland New Materials said commercial production was expected to begin in 2027.
The plant, to be located in Kotka in southeast Finland, will initially produce 60,000 tonnes of cathode active material annually.
At full production capacity, it could supply cathode material for the production of around 750,000 electric vehicles annually, the company said.
Matti Hietanen, the chief executive of Finnish Minerals Group, said the investment created an “entirely new kind of industry in Finland related to the production of lithium-ion batteries” and represented a European “spearhead project for the industry.”
The new plant will employ 270 people and an area of around 80 hectares had been reserved for its construction.
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Nanocellulose infused with red onion extract shields solar cells from UV degradation
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Mar 20, 2025
Researchers at the University of Turku in Finland have developed a bio-based film that provides high-performance UV protection for solar cells, utilizing nanocellulose treated with red onion skin extract. This marks the first comparative study of how various bio-derived UV filters perform over time.
Solar cells, susceptible to damage from ultraviolet radiation, are typically shielded by petroleum-derived films such as polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In an effort to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, researchers are exploring sustainable alternatives like nanocellulose, a material made by refining cellulose into nanoscale fibers that can be customized for UV blocking capabilities.
The study, conducted in collaboration with Aalto University in Finland and Wageningen University in the Netherlands, revealed that nanocellulose films dyed with red onion extract blocked 99.9% of UV rays up to 400 nanometres. This performance surpassed that of commercial PET-based filters, which served as a benchmark in the research.
“Nanocellulose films treated with red onion dye are a promising option in applications where the protective material should be bio-based,” stated Doctoral Researcher Rustem Nizamov from the University of Turku.
Researchers evaluated four types of nanocellulose films enhanced with red onion extract, lignin, or iron ions, all known for their UV-filtering properties. Among them, the film incorporating red onion extract demonstrated the most effective UV shielding.
Effective UV protection must be balanced with the ability to transmit visible and near-infrared light, essential for solar energy conversion. While materials like lignin excel in UV absorption, their dark hue hinders transparency. In contrast, the red onion-based film achieved over 80% light transmission at wavelengths between 650 and 1,100 nanometres, maintaining this level over extended testing.
To simulate prolonged outdoor use, the films were exposed to artificial light for 1,000 hours, equating to roughly one year of natural sunlight in central Europe. Researchers tracked changes in the films and solar cells through digital imaging.
“The study emphasised the importance of long-term testing for UV filters, as the UV protection and light transmittance of the other bio-based filters changed significantly over time. For example, the films treated with iron ions had good initial transmittance which reduced after aging,” tells Nizamov.
Tests focused on dye-sensitised solar cells, which are particularly prone to UV-induced deterioration. The findings also have broader implications for other solar technologies like perovskite and organic photovoltaics, where bio-based UV filters could play a crucial role.
“These results are also relevant for the UV protection of other types of solar cells, including perovskite and organic photovoltaics, as well as any application where the use of a bio-based UV filter is paramount,” Nizamov says.
Looking ahead, the researchers aim to create biodegradable solar cells that could serve as power sources in applications such as food packaging sensors.
“The forest industry is interested in developing new high-grade products. In the field of electronics, these may also be components for solar cells,” noted Kati Miettunen, Professor in Materials Engineering.
The University of Turku’s Solar Energy Materials and Systems (SEMS) group is exploring ways to integrate solar technologies into broader energy systems.
This work was part of the BioEST project, supported by the Research Council of Finland.
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Space Solar teams with MagDrive to boost in-orbit solar power systems
by Sophie Jenkins
London, UK (SPX) Mar 20, 2025
Space Solar, a leading force in the field of space-based solar power (SBSP), has formed a strategic alliance with UK propulsion technology company Magdrive to enhance the deployment of large-scale infrastructure in orbit. The agreement, unveiled during the Farnborough International Space Show (FISS), is formalized under the Space Propulsion and Infrastructure Innovation Initiative (SPI3), reflecting a concerted push to realize space-driven clean energy.
SPI3 is designed to help fulfil the UK’s long-term goal of producing scalable, sustainable energy directly from space. By integrating Magdrive’s advanced propulsion systems, the initiative addresses the complex challenge of transporting, assembling, and managing substantial SBSP infrastructure in orbit.
Space Solar plans to launch its first 30-megawatt SBSP platform within five years, and success hinges on the ability to control and maintain massive solar satellite structures. Magdrive’s propulsion solutions are poised to support upcoming demonstration missions by enabling essential orbital maneuvers, satellite assembly, and shape optimization.
“Innovation in propulsion is essential to making large-scale space infrastructure a reality,” said Sam Adlen, Co-CEO of Space Solar. “Space Solar and Magdrive share a vision of advancing sustainable space operations that benefit earth, and this collaboration will pave the way for new propulsion solutions that will be indispensable for space-based solar power and other large scale space infrastructure.”
This partnership is also set to strengthen the UK’s space sector by stimulating high-value job creation and technological advancement. It highlights the country’s dedication to leading innovation at the intersection of clean energy and aerospace.
As part of SPI3, both companies will collaborate on refining propulsion specifications tailored to SBSP systems and identify additional applications for these technologies within the broader context of UK-led space initiatives. The cooperation is a key step towards expanding the UK’s footprint in the global space economy and unlocking emerging opportunities in space-based energy markets.
“We’re excited to work with Space Solar, they’re building the future of space energy and infrastructure on a scale never seen before. By working together we’ll be propelling the space industry towards enabling sustainable life on earth. Here’s to the new space age!” said Mark Stokes, CEO, MagDrive.
United by a vision to deliver scalable energy solutions from space, Space Solar and Magdrive’s agreement represents a pivotal move toward the commercialization of SBSP. As Space Solar progresses toward critical mission milestones, incorporating Magdrive’s propulsion technology will bring the reality of space-derived clean energy closer than ever.
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