News: Photovoltaics
5 February 2026
Ascent Solar developing CIGS PV modules generating multiple times more power for space beaming
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 – has announced plans to continue development of distributed power receiving products in 2026 to account for growing demand for space-based energy-beaming technologies.
These development efforts include both internally funded R&D as well as continued Collaborative Agreement Notice program work with the NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center and Glenn Research Center, which is on schedule to successfully conclude this spring. Ascent Solar plans to present the results of these development programs at select space industry conferences to be announced later this year.
Ascent says that these solar module technology advancements are uniquely enabled by in-house manufacturing capabilities at its 5MW production facility, which allows for its commercial-off-the-shelf CIGS PV products to be further optimized to receive both sunlight as well as more distributed power from a number of transmission sources and providers such as Star Catcher Industries.
Ascent further plans for continued technology progression through partnerships like that with Cislunar Industries that stand to effectively enable spacecraft to generate and utilize multiple times more power with a solar array of any given size.
“Through the increased efficiency in power-beaming capabilities that Ascent’s product developments will achieve, our thin-film solar offerings will better enable profitable operations for space industry providers in emerging markets that require substantial amounts of on-orbit power, like space data centers or in-space manufacturers,” says CEO Paul Warley. “Ascent has already built relationships and completed deliveries to multiple companies within these burgeoning industries. As these nascent market segments continue to grow, we expect to be a major technology solutions provider in the space.”
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