These devices are now indispensable to satellites in orbit

Apr 9, 2014 09:50 GMT  ·  By
A thin version of the European 3G30 triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cell, one of the most efficient designs in the world today
   A thin version of the European 3G30 triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cell, one of the most efficient designs in the world today

It is very hard today to image a world in which satellites are not powered by solar cells. These spacecraft, both in Earth's orbit and beyond, rely on these thin films for electricity production. The only other way to obtain energy in space is to use thermonuclear generators. We have the New Jersey-based Bell Labs to thank for solar cells. The first such device was demonstrated there 60 years ago.

The idea of using special devices to convert sunlight into electricity is much older, but engineers at the Bell Labs were the first to demonstrate a practical solar cell. Six decades later, their innovation has been revolutionized and improved upon many times over, but the basic operating principles are still the same. What is certain is that the space industry would have been different without these cells.

This September, experts with the European Space Agency (ESA) will join many other scientists around the world at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, which will be held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Among the topics to be covered is the prediction that electricity obtained from solar cells here on Earth will account for 3 percent of all energy production by 2020.

Additionally, the meeting will cover numerous other aspects related to photovoltaic cells, including their applications for electrical power generation for space missions. Experts from around the world will discuss the latest advancements in batteries, power components, and nuclear power, in relation to the most innovative solar cells available out there today.