Hanwha’s Flexell Space to supply satellite solar cell to Terran Orbital

Flexell Space, an in-house space solar cell-developing startup under South Korea’s Hanwha Systems Co., will supply its tandem flexible batteries for use in satellites developed by leading US aerospace and defense satellite maker Terran Orbital Corp.

The two firms will also team up on solar and satellite tech R&D projects in both Korea and the US as part of an MOU they signed on Wednesday.

They expressed high expectations that their partnership would enable them to develop joint solutions tailored for government bids in both countries' space and defense sectors, they said after the MOU signing ceremony.

“This collaboration marks a significant milestone, enabling us to expand our satellite solutions and deliver unparalleled service to a broader customer base across Asia,” said Marc Bell, co-founder and CEO at Terran Orbital.

“We look forward to strengthening our position in the global satellite industry through a variety of technical collaborations with Terran Orbital,” said Ahn Tae-hun, CEO of Flexell Space.

Flexell Space was founded in 2023 as an in-house startup of Korea’s leading defense and air mobility company Hanwha Systems to explore new space and satellite systems. CEO Ahn hails from Hanwha Systems.

HIGHLY EFFICIENT, FLEXIBLE SPACE SOLAR CELLS

The Korean startup will supply its tandem flexible solar cells under development to the US partner.

Its solar power system is a copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) and perovskite tandem structure solar cell, hailed as the next-generation power source for satellites and spacecraft thanks to its lighter, higher output than existing products, at lower cost.

It is also made of polyimide, making it bendable and rollable on any small or curved satellite surface.

The company expects the space solar cell market to continue growing as solar cells and panels serve as a primary power source.

The global satellite manufacturing market is projected to grow to $27.3 billion by 2030, especially in the small satellite sector, according to Flexell Space.

Hanwha Systems is ramping up efforts to develop ultra-small satellites called synthetic aperture radar systems with crosstown rivals such as Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. as part of its parent Hanwha Group’s space ambitions.

It has made a variety of investments in satellite technology around the world.

Write to Sang Hoon Sung at uphoon@hankyung.com
Sookyung Seo edited this article.