mPower Launches World’s First Automated High-Volume Space Solar Module Line
November 11, 2025
mPower Technology, Inc. announced Tuesday the official launch of a new high-volume solar module production line in Conklin, New York, marking a significant step in transitioning space solar technology from specialized fabrication to industrial-scale manufacturing.
The facility, operated in partnership with Universal Instruments Corporation (UIC), is described by mPower as the world’s first automated, high-volume solar module manufacturing facility for space. It opens with an initial annual production capacity of one megawatt (MW) of the company’s proprietary DragonSCALES™ solar modules. According to mPower, capacity is on track to expand to two MW per year by mid-2026. The U.S.-based assembly is intended to ensure a secure supply chain for government and defense applications, alongside commercial projects.
Industry Context and Implications
The shift to automated, high-volume production addresses a critical constraint in the rapidly expanding space economy: the need for dependable, scalable energy. As demand surges for large Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, orbital transfer vehicles, and long-duration missions to the moon and Mars, power generation requirements are growing beyond the capacity of traditional, manually intensive solar panel production methods.
This manufacturing milestone suggests an inflection point for the space solar industry, which has historically relied on small-scale production. Scaling the production of resilient, lightweight modules, such as DragonSCALES™, could reduce both the cost and time required to deploy large space power systems.
“This facility is a milestone not just for mPower, but for space. It marks an inflection point in the space solar industry where small-scale, manually-intensive fabrication has now evolved into large-scale industrial production,” said mPower CEO Kevin Hell.
Inaugural Contract and Strategic Partnership
Initial production at the Conklin, N.Y., facility is supporting a contract for Airbus, announced last year. Under the agreement, mPower is producing modules for the Sparkwing solar arrays being supplied to the MDA AURORA™ supply chain for over 200 spacecraft.
The partnership leverages UIC’s experience in electronics automation. UIC, a global firm specializing in precision automation for the semiconductor and electronics manufacturing sectors, brings its expertise to ensure the solar modules are produced with the consistency and cost-efficiency required for the modern commercial space market.
John Serafini, a partner at Shield Capital, which participated in mPower’s recent $24 million Series B funding round, commented on the development, stating, “Power is a critical limiting factor in space, and the companies that can deliver reliable, scalable power will define the next era of orbital and lunar infrastructure.”
mPower has raised $46 million to date to support its technology development and manufacturing scale-up, positioning the company to support what it terms the “largest and most ambitious space power programs.”
Oilprice.com
