Swift Solar has started shipping HJT solar cells to US space customers following its Meyer Burger technology and equipment acquisition
Its single-junction perovskite cells showed no meaningful efficiency loss during 7 months in the longest-running orbital test
The company plans to take full-size perovskite-silicon tandem cells into space for testing
US-based Swift Solar has started shipping silicon heterojunction (HJT) solar cells to space customers in the US. At the same time, the company is working on perovskite-silicon tandem cells, which can deliver higher power output than single-junction silicon cells. HJT is its immediate focus for space applications, while tandems are the next step.
The growing number of satellite constellations, along with the possibility of orbital data centers, is driving interest in solar cells that can generate more power without adding much weight to the spacecraft. In space applications, efficiency alone is not enough. Power output per unit mass and how well the cells retain their performance over the mission lifetime also matter. The cells must withstand radiation exposure and high operating temperatures, while keeping the weight and area of the solar array in check.
Swift sees HJT as an alternative to PERC cells used in many existing silicon-based satellite systems. The company cites an HJT efficiency of around 25%, compared with 23% for PERC, under AM1.5 conditions. HJT also has a lower temperature coefficient of -0.25%/°C, against -0.35%/°C for PERC. Together, these factors are expected to provide around 10% higher power output in orbit, according to Swift.
Swift acquired Meyer Burger’s core manufacturing assets and intellectual property portfolio in March 2026, including HJT production equipment and technology (see Swift Solar Acquires Meyer Burger’s IP Portfolio & HJT Equipment).
Swift is also testing perovskite cells in orbit. It began space testing its cells in 2023 and has completed three low Earth orbit (LEO) test missions. According to Swift, in its longest-running mission, the single-junction perovskite cells showed no meaningful efficiency loss over 7 months, equivalent to more than 3,000 sunrises. As part of its R&D, the company has also published its research on perovskites’ radiation tolerance, self-healing behavior, and performance at high temperatures.
These results however do not yet establish how the cells will perform over a full LEO mission lifetime or whether they are ready for mission-critical systems. So far, the tests have involved single-junction perovskite cells rather than full-size tandem devices. Swift says the next step is to take its perovskite-silicon tandem cells into space for testing.
