A low-cost alternative to solar panels could enable long-term operations for cubesats and cubesat constellations. As a scalable technology, it could be applied to 1U through 6U cubesats for missions in Earth orbit and beyond. Due to the lack of a fragile semiconductor junction, the energy generators would be robust to radiation and increased life. Additionally, the robust architecture would improve ease of handling, packaging, and deployment.
Thermoelectric waste heat recovery is a growing industry. A low-cost manufacturing solution for thermoelectrics, even at moderate efficiency, would allow regeneration of substantial power from parasitic heat losses in industrial and commercial systems.
More »