Boeing Solar Electric Space Technology Award

Boeing has been given $600,000 by NASA to spend four months exploring how solar electric power can be used in space.

The NASA contract calls for the US defence and aerospace firm, which builds commercial and military aircraft, weapons and other technologies, to look into how advanced photovoltaic arrays can be blended with hi-tech electric components to propel spacecraft around the highest edges of the atmosphere and beyond.

The work will be undertaken by Boeing's Phantom Works - responsible for advancing numerous, secretive US defence programmes - at its facility at Huntingdon Beach in California, with representatives from the company's Space and Intelligence Systems division working in support.

Solar Electric Space Technologies

Besides Boeing, four other groups are also working on advanced solar electric space technologies and being funded by NASA to do so.

"Boeing pioneered the use of electric propulsion and has developed an approach to integrate compact, lightweight, and highly efficient solar arrays with next-generation electric thrusters in future spacecraft", Steve Johnston - Boeing Phantom Works' Advanced Space Exploration director - explained in a press release issued on 11 January 2012.

He added: "This technology offers weight and cost advantages while enabling increased on-orbit maneuverability for satellites in Earth orbit, and efficient deep space transportation for human exploration and robotic science missions."

Boeing Solar Electric Award

In news related to the Boeing solar electric award, the firm is also moving forward with the development of an unmanned, solar-powered aircraft capable of carrying out five-year-long missions.

Named the SolarEagle, the UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - is set to make its first flight in 2014 and, on 11 January, the contract to manufacturer some of the parts that will be used in it was awarded to Aurora Flight Sciences, which is based in Virginia. Specifically, the firm will produce components for the SolarEagle's wings, which will be covered in solar panels in order to collect and recycle solar energy.

"Aurora will have to push the limits of materials and the imagination to create answers to the demanding requirements of this very large yet gossamer aircraft", the vice president of Aurora, Tom Clancy, said in a company statement, adding: "We are delighted to have been chosen for such an important role."

Image copyright Boeing

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