The Perovskite-Based Cells Will Face Vacuum, Radiation, and Extreme Temperatures in Lunar Demonstration

Hanwha Qcell's next-generation perovskite-based tandem solar cells.

Hanwha Solutions Qcells Division (hereinafter Hanwha Qcells) will participate in a space solar power project to demonstrate its next-generation perovskite-based tandem solar cells on the lunar surface.

Hanwha Qcells announced on June 9 that its German subsidiary will participate as a partner in the Space Science and Technology Evaluation Facility (SSTEF-1) project involving the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States, agreeing to provide tandem cell samples.

The SSTEF project is a program funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and overseen by Aegis Aerospace in the United States. Recognizing the world-class technological capabilities of Hanwha Qcells, the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), an applied research organization under the Georgia Institute of Technology, selected the company’s tandem cells as the demonstration product.

GTRI plans to install the tandem cell samples on the surface of a lunar lander and expose them to the space environment to secure various empirical data concerning conditions such as vacuum, extreme temperature changes, ultraviolet rays, and space radiation.

This demonstration project will be supplied with tandem cells manufactured using the proprietary technology of the Hanwha Qcells Thalheim Research and Development Center in Germany.

Tandem cells offer high economic viability, achieving high efficiency equivalent to existing space-use cells while remaining lighter for the same installation capacity. Through its participation in this demonstration, Hanwha Qcells anticipates that its tandem technology, long considered a ‘game changer’ in the terrestrial solar power market, will gain equal recognition in the space solar power sector.

Hanwha Qcells has been conducting continuous research and development with the goal of commercializing terrestrial tandem products by 2029, and the company plans to actively drive the expansion of its tandem technology into the space solar power sector in the future.

Hanwha Qcells Chief Executive Officer Park Seung-deok stated, “Space solar power is not only a future energy source capable of effectively addressing surging power demands by overcoming the limitations of terrestrial solar power, but it is also a platform industry with significant ripple effects across core sectors closely tied to security, such as AI data centers, defense, and telecommunications.” He further noted, “Building upon the technological capabilities and market competitiveness accumulated since our origins in solar manufacturing, Hanwha Qcells will take a leap forward as a global renewable energy solutions company ushering in the era of space solar power.”

Meanwhile, Hanwha Qcells became the first in the world to acquire International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) certification for its independently developed and manufactured terrestrial perovskite-based tandem module.

Evaluated by the global certification body ‘TUV Rheinland’, the module received passing marks across all testing categories, including ultraviolet exposure, thermal cycling, damp heat, and humidity freeze. This certification verifies that the tandem technology has achieved module-level durability and quality, representing a successful passage through a critical gateway toward full commercialization.