Skip to main content

Aerospace Products

Deployable Structures

Solar Arrays

NeXolve is partnered with NASA to develop a space power source for CubeSats and small satellite applications. Known as Lightweight Integrated Solar Array (LISA), these highly efficient PV cells, Copper Indium Gallium Selenide Solar Cells (CIGS) and Inverted Metamorphic Multijunction Solar Cells (IMMs), are integrated with a thin film substrate and produce a deployable structure with a very high packaging factor. LISA deployment and function has been demonstrated at the Space Environmental Effects (SEE) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and microgravity deployment testing on G-FORCE ONE with Zero Gravity Corporation.

Watch LISA in action

Solar Concentrators

NeXolve has developed thin film solar concentrators for solar thermal propulsion. These inflatable on-axis and off-axis parabolic reflectors concentrate sunlight onto absorbers that heat up propellants to efficiently generate thrust for in-space propulsion.

NeXolve has developed these thin film off-axis concentrators with up to 4m x 6m footprints (4m aperture) and on-axis concentrators up to 10m in aperture. NeXolve has also developed deployable and retractable thin-film sunshields.

Thin Film Antenna

NeXolve has extended its solar concentrator design technology to RF antenna design. Space-based antennae concepts have been developed and tested. Working with government and industry partners, inflatable terrestrial antenna systems have been fully developed and are in-use as mobile communications terminals. These RF antennas also have in-space applications.

Metallic Booms

NeXolve develops deployable metallic booms for space applications. These booms have been developed >10m in length and at various widths and material thicknesses. These booms are straight, strong, and can be retracted onto small radius spools and redeployed.

Boom Structures

NeXolve produces deployable boom structures for space that combine our metallic boom technology with membrane elements.

Composite Structures

NeXolve uses our CNC-driven cutting table to precision cut pre-preg composite panels for the aviation industry.

Reflectivity Control Devices

NeXolve is developing RCDs for Solar Cruiser. The thin-film polymeric products can change from being reflective to opaque via the application of a low power voltage. On Solar Cruiser, they are integrated with a deployment mechanism and mounted near the outer edge which will allow them to generate roll torques for Solar Cruiser GN&C.