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TITLE: Lightweight Solar for a Space-Bound Yacht
TYPE: article
VERSION: 1
VERSION_ID: d4600af0-e571-4bb2-aa06-db71c768c4f7
GENERATED_AT: 2026-05-21T20:06:27.473Z
SUMMARY: Project IKAROS needed lightweight and durable solar panels to power the instrumentation over a long voyage into space.
READING TIME: 3 min
WORD COUNT: 548
KEYWORDS: Lightweight Solar for a Space, Bound Yacht, Submit Project Requirements
SOURCE URL: https://www.powerfilmsolar.com/case-studies/space-yacht
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
  * Challenge
  * Approach
  * Solution
  * Engineering Evaluation
  * Submit Project Requirements

Lightweight Solar for Spacecraft
Custom ultra-light solar arrays engineered for deep-space missions where every gram and watt counts.

# Lightweight Solar for Spacecraft

Custom ultra-light solar arrays engineered for deep-space missions where every gram and watt counts.

Case Studies
  Space Yacht

  * Case Studies
  * Space Yacht
Challenge
Project IKAROS required an ultra-lightweight solar solution to power onboard instruments during deep-space travel. The solar panels had to withstand launch, deployment, and long-duration exposure while maintaining extreme power-to-weight efficiency. Every gram and every watt mattered.

Approach
PowerFilm collaborated with the mission team to design custom solar panels for direct sail integration. A 25µm substrate and optimized cell configuration minimized weight while delivering the required bus voltage. The result was a high-efficiency design exceeding 1200 W/kg, with reduced wiring mass and robust deployment performance.

Solution
The custom solar array successfully powered onboard instruments throughout the mission to Venus and beyond. PowerFilm’s lightweight amorphous silicon technology enabled extreme power-to-weight performance in one of the most demanding environments possible.

Project IKAROS required an ultra-lightweight solar solution to power onboard instruments during deep-space travel. The solar panels had to withstand launch, deployment, and long-duration exposure while maintaining extreme power-to-weight efficiency. Every gram and every watt mattered.

PowerFilm collaborated with the mission team to design custom solar panels for direct sail integration. A 25µm substrate and optimized cell configuration minimized weight while delivering the required bus voltage. The result was a high-efficiency design exceeding 1200 W/kg, with reduced wiring mass and robust deployment performance.

The custom solar array successfully powered onboard instruments throughout the mission to Venus and beyond. PowerFilm’s lightweight amorphous silicon technology enabled extreme power-to-weight performance in one of the most demanding environments possible.

Engineering Evaluation

    Provide power and integration requirements for review.

        Submit Project Requirements

                Submit Project Requirements
Provide power and integration requirements for review.

## Engineering Evaluation

Provide power and integration requirements for review.

## Submit Project Requirements

Provide power and integration requirements for review.


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Source: https://www.powerfilmsolar.com/case-studies/space-yacht

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