How Rocket Lab’s Solar Technology Helped Power NASA’s Artemis II Mission

On Day 1 of the Artemis II mission, this image of Earth was captured by a camera on the tip of one of Orion's solar arrays, which are made up of thousands of Rocket Lab's advanced solar cells for space missions. © NASA

When NASA sent astronauts around the Moon on the Artemis II mission for the first time in over 50 years, every system onboard the astronaut's Orion spacecraft depended on one constant: a reliable source of power. That power came from the spacecraft's four solar array wings attached to the service module, made with ~15,000 of Rocket Lab's advanced solar cells

A Spacecraft Powered by the Sun

The four solar arrays containing Rocket Lab solar cells are installed to the Artemis II Orion spacecraft at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. © NASA

For a journey that took humans over a quarter of a million miles from Earth (252,756 miles, or approx. 406,111 kilometers), a dependable power system was critical.

Each 7-meter long solar array was attached to the ESA-provided service module for Orion - the human-rated spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin for the Artemis II mission - and could tilt backward and forward to keep in sync with the Sun. Our solar cells then converted that sunlight into electricity, collectively generating an impressive ~16 kW of power to Orion's propulsion system, thermal controls, and the air and water systems used by the astronauts living onboard.

What Makes These Solar Cells Different?

Our space-grade solar cells are engineered for missions exactly like Artemis II. They're made using multi-junction technology, which allows them to capture more of the solar spectrum than conventional solar panels. This translates into higher efficiency and more power from a smaller surface area: a critical advantage when every kilogram launched on Artemis II mattered for the astronauts' wellbeing and their primary mission.

Efficiency was only one part of the equation though. For this lunar mission, the cells also had to be able to survive the intense radiation that exists beyond Earth's protective magnetosphere, the extreme temperature swings of travelling from Earth past the Moon, and the mechanical stresses that come during launch of Artemis II and Orion onboard NASA's SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.

"For Artemis II, we knew we were creating a technology that astronauts would depend on for every second of the mission, from the moment they leave Earth orbit to the moment they return," says President of Rocket Lab USA, Brad Clevenger. "When Orion's solar arrays deployed, they had to work, no exceptions, so we are very proud to have manufactured solar cells for the Artemis II mission."

To meet these challenges, engineers subjected Rocket Lab's high-efficiency, space-grade, triple-junction solar cells to exhaustive qualification processes, including radiation exposure testing and a full spectrum of stress tests inside thermal vacuum chambers.

A technician completes check outs of a solar array for the Artemis I spacecraft that included Rocket Lab's space-grade solar cells. © NASA

Having already flown successfully on the Artemis I launch, Rocket Lab's solar cells are integral to the ongoing Artemis missions. The moment when Orion's solar arrays were deployed and the solar cells came alive for Artemis II was satisfying validation for the engineers and technicians who have spent years designing, analyzing, testing, and building solar cell technology.

Enabling the Artemis Era

NASA's Orion spacecraft is pictured from one of the cameras mounted to its solar arrays. Each of Orion's four solar array wings are made of three panels that provide enough electricity to power two three-bedroom homes. © NASA

Artemis II is the latest and greatest next step to returning humans to the Moon before we send them even further on to Mars. Being able to turn sunlight into survival is foundational to those missions, whether it's for the spacecraft that orbit the Moon and Mars or future lunar infrastructure on the surface - and Rocket Lab is proud to be the maker of the solar cells helping to lay the groundwork for human exploration beyond Earth orbit.