End-to-End Manufacturing Process for Solar Arrays for Constellations

• Country: Netherlands
• Summary: End-to-End Manufacturing Process for Solar Arrays for Constellations
• NLT Ref No: 96038767
• Deadline: 22 Mar 2024
• Financier: Other Funding Agencies
• Purchaser Ownership: Government
• Tender Value: Refer Document
• Notice Type: Tender
• Document Ref. No.: 1-11703
• Purchaser's Detail:
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• Description:
• Tenders are invited for End-to-End Manufacturing Process for Solar Arrays for Constellations (Artes 4.0 at 4f.162). The objective of the activity is to spin-in terrestrial multi-junction solar cell manufacturing processes and to develop and test photo voltaic assembly techniques to reduce the end-to-end manufacturing complexity of solar arrays for constellations. Targeted Improvements: Reduction of manufacturing complexity and manufacturing time of solar arrays by a factor of two in comparison to the current state-of-the-art solar arrays based on multi-junction solar cells. Description: The new constellation marketplaces new demands on the industrial landscape as one constellation mission alone easily consumes almost the full production capability of all space solar cell, Photo Voltaic Array (PVA) and solar array producers together. With such a high annual demand for solar arrays, there is great pressure to reduce the end-to-end manufacturing complexity of all steps of the production, from the solar cell to the photo voltaic assembly and to the solar array. This activity will focus on developing an end-to-end streamlined manufacturing process starting from Germanium substrate level until solar cell assembly and photovoltaic assembly level spinning-in and adopting relevant terrestrial multi-junction solar cell processes. This includes increasing the level of modularity (at higher assembly level) and automation as needed to respond to the higher global demand. Bottlenecks in the current production will be identified at the different assembly levels (solar cell, PVA and/or solar array). The most critical production steps limiting the throughput will be reviewed and alternative solutions will be investigated. This step will involve looking into processes that are currently not space qualified (e.g., spin-in from terrestrial applications, wafer thinning and substrate reuse) and/or understanding whether automated processes and/or a higher level of modularity can be pursued (e.g., interconnecting solar cells into mini-modules, use of metal wrapped through solar cells). A dedicated investigation shall be carried out with respect to the reduction of the Germanium used in the solar cells, e.g., application of lift-off processes together with substrate reuse in order to improve sustainability. Prototype solar cells, PVA and/or solar array coupons will be produced in a small-scale pilot production employing the developed end-to-end manufacturing process and tested. Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to:http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Business_with_ESA/Small_and_Medium_Sized_Enterprises/Opportunities_forSMEs/Procurement_policy_on_fair_access_for_SMEs_-_the_C1-C4_Clauses. Price Range: 500 KEURO Open Date: 26/01/2024 14:38 CET Closing Date: 22/03/2024 13:00 CET
• Documents:

 Tender Notice