A--A 40% SOLAR CELL FOR CONCENTRATOR ARRAYS

NASA Glenn plans to award a sole-source contract to Emcore Corporation to continue the development of advanced solar cell technology for concentrator arrays, building on prior work initiated under contract NAS3-01131 by Tecstar Incorporated. Following a bankruptcy court-approved sale of Tecstar’s Applied Solar Division to Emcore, the new contract will allow Emcore to assume responsibility for the project without duplicating prior efforts, as the company now holds ownership of the previous research results. This transition ensures continuity and leverages Emcore’s existing knowledge and resources to advance the goal of achieving 40% efficient solar cells for concentrator applications. The contract, identified under solicitation number NASA-SNOTE-020913-001 and posted on September 13, 2002, supports ongoing efforts to develop high-efficiency solar cells for space applications, emphasizing NASA Glenn’s commitment to advancing solar technology. The sole-source nature of the award reflects Emcore’s unique position as the successor to Tecstar’s work and its capacity to efficiently continue the project, helping to optimize performance in future concentrator array systems.