Rendition of EchoStar 24 satellite, which SSL is building for EchoStar/Hughes. Photo: SSL.

Space Systems Loral (SSL) has awarded Azur Space Solar Power a multi-year, long-term purchase agreement to supply high-efficiency, multi-junction space solar cells for SSL’s next-generation solar arrays.

In the future, Azur Space’s 3G30C-Advanced radiation-hardened solar cell will power many of SSL’s solar arrays. The period of performance for the contract is from 2017 through 2020 with options for additional years. Azur Space will produce the solar cells at its manufacturing facilities in Heilbronn, Germany.

Azur Space develops and manufactures high-efficiency space solar cells and Coverglass-Interconnected-Cells (CICs), and also offers solar panels for all space power applications. It has supplied solar cells for more than 500 satellites to date and claims a 100 percent mission success rate on-orbit.