Chinese space firm unveils rollable solar wing as compact as water bottle

BEIJING -- A Chinese private satellite manufacturer has engineered an innovative rollable, fully flexible solar array designed to solve the long-standing challenge of oversized satellites exceeding rocket fairing dimensions.

GalaxySpace, a Beijing-based commercial space firm, unveiled the innovation at a two-day conference that started on Thursday in the southwestern Chinese city of Yibin.

For satellite launches, the flexible solar arrays placed on the satellite's sides are to be rolled like scrolls, said Xu Ming, CEO of GalaxySpace.

In orbit, the device unfurls in a controlled manner, extending over 10 meters in length and nearly two meters in width. "Although it spans 20 square meters, about the size of a conference room, it can be rolled up to the diameter of a water bottle," Xu explained.

This rollable solar panel is designed to reduce a satellite's volume and weight while meeting high-power energy needs. The energy density of an all-flexible panel is four times that of a rigid one, according to the company.

This makes it well-suited for launches involving multiple stacked satellites and enables internet satellite constellations to maintain their orbits for longer durations, effectively extending their operational lifespans.

GalaxySpace has launched 25 self-designed satellites, including the world's first high-frequency low-Earth-orbit millimeter-wave satellite, China's first flat, stackable satellite with flexible solar panels, according to the company.

In February, GalaxySpace demonstrated direct-to-cell communication technology based on its low-Earth-orbit broadband communication test constellation. Through a gateway station in Beijing, they established a connection with personnel in Beijing and Thailand.

Its intelligent factory in the eastern coastal city of Nantong has reached an annual production capacity of 100 to 150 medium-sized satellites.

On the smart production line for low-Earth-orbit satellites, robotic arms carry out precise grasping and assembly operations. Cheng Ming, head of the factory, described it as "a collaboration between humans and machines."

"Aided by assembly robots, intelligent equipment and digital manufacturing systems, we have established a complete manufacturing chain for satellites ranging from 100 to 2,000 kilograms," Cheng said.

Established in 2018, GalaxySpace is a leading satellite internet solution provider and satellite manufacturer in China. It was also crowned as the first unicorn company in the commercial space in the country.