EMCORE Corporation (Nasdaq:EMKR), a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components and subsystems for the fiber optic and solar power markets, announced today that it has been awarded a contract by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation (BATC) to design, manufacture, test and deliver solar panels for a new spacecraft. The period of performance for this program is about 2 years, with a total contract value of nearly $6 million.
The solar panels delivered to BATC will be populated with EMCORE’s ZTJ multi-junction solar cells. The ZTJ is currently the highest performance space-grade solar cell available in volume production to the global market. Production of the solar cells and panels will take place at EMCORE’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
“We are very pleased to receive this award from Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation and recognize their confidence in our capabilities to manufacture and deliver the solar panels for this important mission,” said Christopher Larocca, Chief Operating Officer for EMCORE. “Our proven manufacturing capability, technology leadership and high-reliability solar panels make EMCORE the supplier of choice for demanding spacecraft power systems.”
EMCORE is the world’s leading manufacturer of highly-efficient radiation-hard solar cells for space power applications. With a beginning-of-life (BOL) conversion efficiency nearing 30% and the option for a patented, onboard monolithic bypass diode, EMCORE’s industry leading multi-junction solar cells provide the highest available power to interplanetary spacecraft and earth orbiting satellites.
About EMCORE
EMCORE Corporation offers a broad portfolio of compound semiconductor-based products for the broadband, fiber optic, satellite and solar power markets. EMCORE’s Fiber Optic segment offers optical components, subsystems and systems for high-speed data and telecommunications networks, cable television (CATV) and fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP), as well as specialty photonics technologies for defense and homeland security applications. EMCORE’s Photovoltaic segment provides products for both satellite and terrestrial applications. For satellite applications, EMCORE offers high-efficiency Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) solar cells, Covered Interconnect Cells (CICs) and panels. For terrestrial applications, EMCORE is adapting its high-efficiency GaAs solar cells for use in solar concentrator systems. For further information about EMCORE, visit http://www.emcore.com.
About Ball Aerospace & Technologies
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation, a subsidiary of Ball Corporation, designs, develops and manufactures innovative aerospace systems including spacecrafts, instruments, RF and microwave technologies, and data exploitation solutions for governmental and commercial customers. Ball Aerospace is a respected leader in providing integrated spacecraft buses for payload integration and precision spacecraft for interplanetary and space science missions. For more information about Ball Aerospace, please visit http://www.ballaerospace.com.
