ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - mPower Technology, a solar technology company building solar modules for space power, has announced the official launch of a new high-volume solar module production line at Universal Instruments Corporation (UIC) in Conklin, New York.
The facility, already producing solar modules for Airbus under a recently announced contract, is the first automated, high-volume solar module manufacturing facility for space in the world, and represents a step forward in delivering space-ready, industrial-scale solar power for space missions.
The operation has opened with an annual production capacity of 1 megawatt (MW) of DragonSCALES modules and is on track to expand to 2 MW per year by mid-2026. This volume underscores mPower's ability to support fast-growing demand for resilient, lightweight, and scalable solar power solutions for LEO constellations, orbital transfer vehicles, space habitats, Lunar and Mars missions, and space-based power generation.
mPower CEO Kevin Hell said, "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. We're already shipping flight hardware to customers, and as we ramp to multi-megawatt capacity over the next year, we'll be in position to support the largest and most ambitious space power programs out there."
The Airbus contract, announced last year, requires the production of modules for the Sparkwing solar arrays that Airbus is providing to the MDA AURORA supply chain for more than 200 spacecraft. This was a catalyst for the high-volume manufacturing line at UIC and a strong signal of market confidence in DragonSCALES as a new standard for space power.
Partnering with UIC on this production enables mPower to leverage one of the world's most experienced electronics automation firms. As a global leader in precision automation for the semiconductor and electronics manufacturing industry, UIC brings more than a century of innovation, 500+ global patents, and an Advanced Process Lab that supports prototyping and lifecycle process development. UIC's manufacturing expertise ensures that DragonSCALES modules can be made with the consistency, throughput, and cost-efficiency required for modern space power markets.
The Conklin, NY, facility is designed to be fully scalable and already supports DragonSCALES with capabilities that include:
- Automated, high-volume, cost-efficient production of resilient silicon solar modules, enabling multi-megawatt delivery for large constellations and lunar power projects.
- Resilient and lightweight design proven through more than 15 years of cumulative spaceflight heritage.
- U.S.-based assembly and production, ensuring secure, reliable manufacturing for critical government and defense applications.
