Latest briefing · September 17, 2026
Idemitsu's US CIGS Lab Is a Bet That Thin-Film Wins the Space Solar Cell Race
A Japanese petroleum giant opens its first US lab for space-grade CIGS solar cells — here's what that signals for in-space power supply chains.
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September 16, 2026
Antares Lands $161M DoD Nuclear Power Contract — What It Means for In-Space Power
A $161M DoD award to Antares marks the largest U.S. military nuclear space power contract to date, signaling serious procurement intent beyond solar.
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September 15, 2026
DOE Bets on Silicon and Perovskites to Break III-V's Grip on Space Solar Cells
The U.S. DOE is funding 7–11 research projects to move space photovoltaics beyond rare-material III-V cells toward scalable silicon and perovskite alternatives.
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September 12, 2026
What Rocket Lab Just Got Right About Space Solar Cell Design
Rocket Lab's IMM Apex cell delivers 31.5% BOL efficiency and 40% less mass than legacy triple-junction products — with no germanium substrate. Here's what that means for your next procurement decision.
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September 12, 2026
Rocket Lab's 31.5%-Efficient IMM Cell and Idemitsu's CIGS Lab Signal a Space Solar Cell Shakeup
Two announcements in 48 hours reframe the space photovoltaic supply chain: one kills germanium dependency, the other bets on thin-film.
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September 11, 2026
Stoke Space's $1B Series E Signals Fully Reusable Rockets Are Now a Serious Launch Bet
Stoke Space closed a $1B Series E tranche, bringing total capital to $2.3B — and redefining what "affordable launch" means for space solar payloads.
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September 10, 2026
Chang'e-7 Delay Sharpens the Stakes for NASA's Lunar Power Race
China's postponed Chang'e-7 mission and NASA's fresh power-generation solicitation put lunar surface energy back at the center of the 2020s space competition.
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September 9, 2026
Artemis III Stack Hardware Is Moving: What Surface Power Planners Need to Watch Now
Artemis III SLS stacking progress and a confirmed Orion trajectory fix put lunar surface power timelines back under pressure.
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September 8, 2026
Starship's East Coast Debut and the Launch Cost Floor That Space Solar Needs
SpaceX's dual Starship build-out at Starbase and Cape Canaveral is reshaping the launch cost assumptions every space-based solar power roadmap depends on.
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September 5, 2026
What the Lunar Laser Team at IEEE Spectrum Just Got Right About Moon Navigation
A proposal to plant ultra-stable optical clocks in permanently shadowed lunar craters could redefine how spacecraft navigate the Moon.
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