RCT Group launches unit for space solar applications

German clean energy solutions company RCT Group has launched a subsidiary focused on the development and supply of crystalline silicon solar cells and modules for space applications.

The new company, named RCT Space, will target customers in low Earth orbit (LEO), with its first commercial deliveries planned following qualification under European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) requirements in 2027.

“Our in-flight radiation annealing IP is what makes silicon viable for the missions that today belong to gallium arsenide. We have validated the underlying physics in our laboratory, and our roadmap takes us through ECSS qualification within 18 months,” said Wolfgang Jooss, chief technology officer of RCT Space.

“Combined with the flight heritage our team brings from previous engineering work, RCT Space arrives in the market not as a newcomer but as a credible technical alternative,” he added.

RCT Space said its business model is aimed at satellite programs seeking secure and scalable supply chains, shorter lead times, and lower costs. The company also said it sees strong demand for solar cells in the LEO segment.

“Space solar is at an inflection point. Constellation operators and national space programs need solar cells that are scalable, affordable, and available through a secure supply chain,” said Peter Fath, chairman of RCT Space. “With RCT Space, we are bringing two decades of crystalline silicon expertise from RCT Group into orbit, with patented technology that no other supplier can match.”