Ascent Solar's Thin-Film Space Solar Products Experience Zero Damage in Atomic Oxygen Exposure Test Campaign

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Ascent Solar’s Thin-Film Space Solar Products Experience Zero Damage in Atomic Oxygen Exposure Test Campaign THORNTON, Colo., June 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascent Solar Technologies (“Ascent” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ASTI), the leading U.S. innovator in the design and manufacturing of featherweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, today announced the results of its preliminary Atomic Oxygen (AO) exposure testing for its space grade thin-film PV products. Testing has shown significant resilience to Atomic Oxygen in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). AO is a highly reactive and energetic particle that is the most predominant in LEO. Interaction with AO causes damage to many materials in the form of shrinking, cracking, erosion and oxidation. Specialty coatings and chemical treatments are often the most effective approach to enhancing the resilience of space faring polymers, metal surfaces and composites. In LEO, AO often degrades solar arrays by eroding the polymers used in blanket construction, which hampers their flexibility and exposes their electrical components to damage, and oxidizing metallic interconnects. AO can directly interact with compounds that cover the solar cells, causing oxidation that reduces their transmission of light to the photoactive portion of the cell, ultimately yielding less power over time. Although silicon and gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar technologies are widely used in LEO, their long-term performance is often significantly encumbered by the highly reactive AO environment. Exposed cover glass adhesives, polymer encapsulants, interconnect coatings, and other protective materials are susceptible to erosion and degradation over time of a few percent to more than 10% over several years in LEO. This erosion contributes to power loss and reduced array lifespan. AO mitigation is a critical design consideration for ensuring reliable long-term operation. Ascent has completed several rounds of AO exposure testing, with highly favorable results for space-grade products that include 1 mil FEP film as the primary barrier and encapsulant. With exposure rates equivalent to that of six months on orbit at the altitude of the International Space Station (400km), results indicate zero loss of power. Ascent is moving forward with additional advanced AO exposure testing, simulating longer mission durat...

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