Key highlights

The 6U Solar Panel is a body-mounted CubeSat solar panel that delivers steady satellite solar power for 6U-class spacecraft. Sixteen space-grade triple-junction photovoltaic cells produce a peak power of 19.2 W in LEO, with cell efficiency exceeding 30% at beginning of life and remaining above 29% at end of life – radiation-tolerant performance sized for a five-year mission. At just 392 g, the panel adds meaningful power generation without straining the nanosatellite mass budget, and internal bypass diodes protect every string from reverse-bias damage.

The panel is also a sensing asset: up to three integrated photodiodes give coarse sun-vector information, and optional sun sensors, thermal sensors, and a gyroscope can be specified to support attitude knowledge and power optimization. An accessible remove-before-flight (RBF) inhibition mechanism – including an available RBF pin – simplifies integration and ground handling. Multiple panels can be connected in series or parallel to build custom power configurations, and options such as an external magnetorquer connector, a low-power MCU, extra photodiodes, and a temperature sensor tailor each space-qualified unit to the mission's electrical power system.

Applications

Body-mounted primary power generation for 6U CubeSats in LEO
Supplementary satellite solar power alongside deployable solar arrays
Earth observation, communications, and science nanosatellite missions
Coarse sun sensing and attitude support through integrated photodiodes
Series- or parallel-connected multi-panel power architectures

Key features

High-efficiency triple-junction cells:
16 space-grade photovoltaic cells with 30+% efficiency at BOL and 29+% at EOL.
19.2 W peak power in LEO:
Maximum power output of 19.2 W in low Earth orbit.
Low mass:
392 g body-mounted panel for lean mass budgets.
Series/parallel flexibility:
Multiple panels can be connected in series or parallel for custom power needs.
Reverse bias protection:
Internal bypass diodes protect each cell string.
Integrated sun sensing:
Up to 3 photodiodes plus an accessible RBF inhibition mechanism; available with Remove Before Flight pin.
Sensor configurability:
Optional sun and thermal sensors and a gyroscope for maximized power generation, configurable upon request.
Configurable options:
Connector for external magnetorquer, low-power MCU, up to 2 extra photodiodes, temperature sensor.
Five-year design life:
Designed for a 5-year mission lifetime; space-qualified product.

Customization

Multiple panels may be connected in parallel or in series to suit different system configurations.

An optional gyroscope for Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) applications is available.

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Last updated: 2026-06-04