Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Işık: "With TÜBİTAK MAM's Space Qualified Solar Panel Development Project, the first step will be taken in meeting the energy needs of national satellites with domestic resources. It will contribute to increasing Turkey's competitiveness in space technologies."

Işık made statements regarding TÜBİTAK MAM's Space Qualified Solar Panel Development Project.

Stating that solar panels are an indispensable energy source for vehicles and satellites sent into space, Işık said that the project was developed to meet the needs of the Ministry of National Defense.

Explaining that important work has been carried out in the field of space technologies in Turkey for more than 10 years, Işık reminded that BİLSAT, RASAT and GÖKTÜRK-2 earth observation satellites were developed and successfully placed into orbit. Stating that the data received from these satellites were used in many areas ranging from national security to agricultural activities, meeting the imagery needs of the Turkish Armed Forces and public institutions/organizations, Işık noted that with each satellite developed in this process, the country has made significant progress in infrastructure and know-how in the field of small satellite design and production, and that many critical systems and subsystems used in space technology have been nationalized.

Işık reminded that the Development of Earth Observation Satellite Technologies (IMECE) Project was also launched in order to ensure the sustainability of advanced technologies gained in earth observation satellite systems and to develop new space-qualified systems and subsystems. Noting that the solar panels used in all of these satellites were supplied by foreign companies, Işık said that no space-qualified solar panel R&D or production activities were carried out in Turkey.

Emphasizing that the development of the solar panel sub-component, which provides the energy needs of satellites, with national resources and know-how is a need of strategic importance, Işık said that they set out with the aim of carrying out space-qualified solar panel R&D activities used in providing the energy needs of satellites in the project and developing a prototype panel to be loaded as an experimental load on the İMECE satellite.

Underlining that the project aims to carry out solar cell and cerium-doped borosilicate covering glass R&D activities, develop solar panel design and production processes, and transfer the knowledge and experience gained to the country's space technology industry, Işık said: "In the Space Qualified Solar Panel Development Project, TÜBİTAK MAM With the additional investment made in the existing infrastructure within the Institute of Materials, it is aimed to establish the Photovoltaic Technology Center infrastructure, where space-qualified solar panel R&D activities used in providing the energy needs of satellites will be carried out and the domestic solar panel prototype that will take place as an experimental load on the İMECE satellite will be produced. Within the scope of the project, photovoltaic solar panel production technologies specific to space applications will be developed and the prototype solar panel produced will be given a history in space, thus the first step will be taken in meeting the energy needs of national satellites with national resources and will contribute to increasing the competitiveness of our country in the field of space technologies."

 "The project will greatly reduce dependence on foreign countries"

Pointing out that with the know-how and experience gained in this field, dependence on foreign countries will be reduced to a great extent, Işık said:

"It is of strategic importance for our country to add space-qualified solar panels to the advanced technologies gained in earth observation satellites, which play an important role in national security, so that the panels used to meet the energy needs of national satellites can be produced using national resources instead of being supplied from other countries. The cost of solar panels used in earth observation and communication satellites is in the range of 400-800 Euro/W, and these satellites require 500-10,000 W of power. Considering the panels used in space qualification tests, costs increase 2-3 times. Therefore, in every satellite project, millions of liras are lost due to procurement from abroad."

Emphasizing that with the Space Qualified Solar Panel Development Project, the economic loss experienced in the procurement of solar panels will be greatly reduced, Işık pointed out that the costs of new satellites to be developed will decrease. Işık also noted that patent or utility model applications will be made for the industrial potential of the process improvements and designs obtained in the solar panel development process.

Işık stated that they plan to complete the project, which started in September last year with a budget of 24 million 800 thousand liras, in 2017.