News: Photovoltaics
25 February 2026
Ascent Solar’s PV blankets to power NOVI AI Pathfinder spacecraft
Ascent Solar Technologies Inc of Thornton, CO, USA – which designs and makes lightweight, flexible copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic (PV) panels that can be integrated into consumer products, off-grid applications and aerospace applications – says that its previously delivered solar blankets have been integrated into the Pathfinder spacecraft of NOVI Space Inc of Arlington, VA, USA (a space AI infrastructure & compute company that develops and operates AI-powered satellites with their TRL-9 edge computing technology), which is scheduled to fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter launch no earlier than 29 March.
NOVI’s spring mission will demonstrate GENIE (Geospatial Ecosystem for Near Real-Time Information at the Edge), its flagship open-access, multi-sensor, edge-compute platform designed to provide low-cost, low-latency Earth observation data and real-time geospatial intelligence.
Integration of Ascent’s flexible CIGS array allows for a tightly rolled configuration that minimizes the stowed volume. Pathfinder, the toaster-sized hyperspectral imaging spacecraft, will generate 150W, an amount of power typically seen on larger spacecraft at higher costs. It is reckoned that NOVI will recognize compounded savings across its planned constellation by partnership with Ascent.
“Our partnership with NOVI has evolved quickly over the last year, in large part due to our rapid manufacturing capabilities in a domestic facility, enabling Ascent to quickly supply product to customers looking for immediate solutions,” says Ascent Solar’s CEO Paul Warley. “Through this partnership with NOVI, we’re achieving lower costs on faster timelines, driving major reductions in mass and volume compared to traditional silicon solar arrays,” he adds. “Our solutions are also more durable and sustainable, which reduces space debris risks while improving efficiency for spacecraft operators.”
Ascent Solar developing CIGS PV modules generating multiple times more power for space beaming
Ascent signs master services agreement to provide NOVI Space with rollable PV array blankets
