Terran Orbital CEO Marc Bell (Left) and Ahn Tae-hun, Flexell Space CEO shakes hands after signing a MoU on June 25, 2024 (Courtesy of Yonhap)
Flexell Space, an in-house space solar cell-developing startup of South Korea’s Hanwha Systems Co., will supply its tandem flexible batteries for satellites developed by major US aerospace and defense satellite maker Terran Orbital Corp.
The two companies will also cooperate on various solar and satellite technology research and development projects in both Korea and the US as part of a memorandum of understanding they signed on Wednesday.
They expressed high expectations that their strategic partnership would enable them to develop joint solutions tailored for government bids in both countries’ space and defense sectors, they said after the MoU singing ceremony.
“This collaboration marks a significant milestone, enabling us to expand our satellite solutions and deliver unparalleled service to a broader customer base across Asia,” stated Marc Bell, co-founder and chief executive officer at Terran Orbital.
(Courtesy of Hanwha Systems)
“We look forward to strengthening our position in the global satellite industry through a variety of technical collaborations with Terran Orbital,” said Ahn Tae-hun, chief executive officer of Flexell Space.
Flexell Space was founded in 2023 as an in-house startup of Korea’s leading defense and air mobility company Hanwha Systems to explore new space and satellite systems. CEO Ahn is from Hanwha Systems.
HIGHLY EFFICIENT, FLEXIBLE SPACE SOLAR CELLS
The Korean startup will supply its tandem flexible solar cells under development to the US partner.
Its solar power system is a copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) and perovskite tandem structure solar cell, hailed as the next-generation power source for satellites and spacecraft thanks to its lighter and higher output than existing products at lower costs.
Flexell Space’s flexible tendem solar cell structure (Courtesy of Yonhap)
It is also made of polyimide, making it bendable and rollable on any small or curved surface of satellites.
The company expects the space solar cell market will continue growing as solar cells and panels serve as a primary power source.
The global satellite manufacturing market is projected to grow to $27.3 billion by 2030, particularly in the small satellite sector, according to Flexell Space.
Hanwha Systems is stepping up efforts to develop ultra-small satellites called synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems with its crosstown rivals such as Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. as part of its parent Hanwha Group’s space ambition.
It has made various investments in satellite technologies across the world.
By Sang Hoon Sung
uphoon@hankyung.com
Sookyung Seo edited this article.
