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- Space flight in transition
Space flight in transition
As a niche industry, space flight has always been internationally oriented and thrived on cooperation. The former niche industry has retained this great quality, but many new endeavours and movements have been added: the new space flight that has been changing in recent years has become increasingly ubiquitous, part of everyday life, and, to a certain extent, normal for all of us. With the slogan “Space is everywhere,” the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is using last year's Space Day to highlight how many areas of our everyday lives, whether we realize it or not, are based on space technology and the functions we use and benefit from. The most popular examples are weather forecasting, navigation, communication, agriculture, climate research, biodiversity research, disaster management, and national security.
All these satellite-based examples are essential for our future on Earth. Many of these services require entire networks, known as constellations, of satellites. Scientific space missions, which often require only a single, unique, and usually very expensive satellite, remain important and will continue to exist—but the shift toward identical, standardized, smaller satellites is in full swing. The new space industry is more dynamic and flexible, but also more resource-efficient and therefore more cost-effective.
SpaceTech in transition
At SpaceTech, we encounter an equally dynamic and flexible environment in our daily work. Our company is also part of this changing, future-oriented industry. In recent years, we have greatly expanded our series production in the field of solar arrays for satellites and the associated electronics and mechanisms.
SpaceTech series production
With the commissioning of our automated production processes in the Solar Array Factory, which opened in 2022, we have been able to better meet the high demand for solar arrays and SADA (Solar Array Drive Assembly) systems. These mechanisms ensure that a satellite's solar arrays are always optimally aligned with the sun to generate maximum energy.
We currently manufacture up to six solar arrays per week and one SADA per day. Two different series of solar arrays can be manufactured in parallel. The design of SpaceTech solar arrays can vary greatly: they can be mounted directly to the outer wall of the satellite, be deployable with one solar panel each, or even have multiple solar panels with different folding mechanisms depending on the application.
We are well equipped for the future of space travel as a “normal” industry that provides us with everyday essentials. With the planned, efficient site expansions in the coming years, we are continuing to expand our capacities.
SpaceTech is a global leader that actively shapes the future.
