Scientists from the University of Sydney have developed a self-healing solar panel that could greatly extend the life of orbiting satellites. The panel uses the calcium titanium oxide mineral perovskite, described by some as a “miracle material” because of its unique properties.self-healing solar panels
Orbiting satellites have been using solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity for quite some time, but damage from certain types of radiation causes them to lose up to 10 percent of their efficiency per year. Because of this high loss of efficiency, it is inevitable that satellites will turn into space junk at some point.
In the study, scientists discovered that radiation damage can be reversed when heat is applied to perovskite solar cells in a vacuum. Simulation tests have shown that degraded solar panels can recover 100 percent of their original efficiency when heated. Professor Anita Ho-Baillie, an assistant researcher at the University of Sydney, said the insights from their work could lead to the development of low-cost, lightweight solar cells for future space applications.
Increasing number of satellites in orbit
On the other hand, the number of satellites launched into orbit has been increasing at a dramatic rate in recent years. SpaceX alone has more than 4,000 Starlink satellites in orbit as of May 2023 and it is aimed to increase the number of satellites to 12,000 in the coming years. China, which runs a program similar to Starlink, plans to place 13,000 satellites in orbit in the coming years.
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