Image credit: NASA

Space solutions provider Redwire successfully delivered the first pair of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSA) to NASA space station prime contractor Boeing. The solar arrays are now undergoing flight package integration in preparation for launch on SpaceX’s 22nd commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) next month.

Redwire designed, manufactured, and tested the six new solar arrays, equipped with upgraded solar cells from Boeing’s Spectrolab. The ROSA arrays were developed by Redwire subsidiary Deployable Space Systems (DSS) and were first successfully demonstrated on ISS in June 2017. Each array provides more than 20 kilowatts of power each and a combined 120 kilowatts to the ISS, representing a 20 to 30 percent improvement over previous systems.

Modular versions of ROSA are also being produced for NASA’s DART Mission, Maxar’s Power and Propulsion Element for NASA’s Gateway program, the Ovzon 3 GEO spacecraft for Maxar’s Legion-class satellites, and other proprietary, civilian, and commercial applications.

“Redwire is proud to partner with Boeing to provide critical infrastructure to support human spaceflight in low Earth orbit,” said Andrew Rush, President and COO of Redwire. “The enabling iROSA technology will provide a crucial power boost to support important work being done on station, from exploration technology demonstrations to commercial activity.”