Solar Array for a Starshade Inner Disk

This PhaseII program will focus on integrating viable solar cell blanket assemblies onto the inner disk of a starshade needed for potential exoplanet discovery missions. The Phase II will design and analyze structural interfaces, harness requirements, harness routing, survival and durability for packaging, launch and on-orbit environmental requirements. The program will involve numerous hardware demonstration units and testing and culminate in a full scale demonstration unit with a portion of active solar cells. This will move the inner disk with solar cells to TRL 5. The inner disk of the baseline starshade is approximately 10 m in diameter. This large surface area is an ideal location for solar arrays which will allow for solar electric propulsion. SEP will allow the starshade to transition to new orbit positions relative to the telescope more efficiently which will expand the exoplanet science during the mission lifetime.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.