Solestial will supply radiation-hardened silicon solar modules to EnduroSat for its next-generation FRAME SmallSat
The agreement includes an additional 7 kW option for EnduroSat’s future power requirements
EnduroSat says FRAME production is set to scale to 60 satellites per month starting Q2 2026
US-based space-focused solar technology company Solestial has signed a new sales agreement with Bulgarian satellite manufacturer EnduroSat to supply radiation-hardened silicon solar power modules. To be delivered in 2025, these solar panels will power EnduroSat’s upcoming next-generation small satellite (SmallSat) FRAME.
The deal includes an additional option for 7 kW of solar power to meet EnduroSat’s future energy requirements. Solestial says its advanced solar modules will serve as the primary power source for FRAME, which is the Bulgarian company’s EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA)-class satellite. An ESPA is a SmallSat, which works as a secondary payload on orbital launch vehicles.
“FRAME is our most capable satellite to date, designed for rapid manufacturing in mind in addition to performance. We are scaling our new facility to produce up to 60 per month starting Q2 2026 and we sought a supplier who could help us deliver on the value proposition and quantities required by our customers,” said EnduroSat CTO Dr. Victor Danchev. “Solestial is a strategic partner whose capabilities align perfectly with our mission to make space universally accessible through streamlined data services.”
For Solestial, the EnduroSat order follows a $1.2 million contract from SpaceWERX to develop a multiorbital solar array wing concept for small satellites, which it bagged in July 2025 (see North America Solar PV News Snippets). Previously, in August 2024, the US company joined hands with European solar PV manufacturer and now insolvent Meyer Burger to produce solar panels for space applications using silicon heterojunction (HJT) technology (see Meyer Burger & Solestial Eye Space For Next-Generation Flexible Modules).
FRAME is scheduled to be launched in H1 2026. The collaboration between Solestial and EnduroSat highlights the growing demand for durable, high-efficiency solar solutions designed specifically for space applications.
Recently, Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos piqued interest in space-based solar power when he discussed the potential of establishing GW-scale solar-powered data centers in space. Building a business case, he stressed that these won’t be limited by weather and will provide free power to the earth. These will also beat the cost of terrestrial data centers in the next couple of decades.