Airbus to supply more than 200 Sparkwing solar panels for MDA AURORA satellites
Airbus is owned by MDA Space Ltd. (TSX:MDA), a global leader in advanced space technology and services, has been selected to supply solar panels for its MDA AURORA TM software-defined satellite product line. This satellite system aims to expand communications networks around the world by enabling satellite constellations for improved global connectivity.
Under the agreement, Airbus will supply more than 200 Sparkwing solar panels, which will be manufactured at its high-capacity factory in Leiden, the Netherlands. These solar panels, the largest Sparkwing version to date, feature two wings with five panels each, covering a total photovoltaic surface of more than 30 square meters.
MDA’s AURORA™ supply chain is designed to support Telesat’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation Lightspeed, an advanced network that provides enterprise-class connectivity to customers worldwide.
“We are pleased to have been selected as a solar panel supplier to partner with MDA Space for Telesat Lightspeed. Our industrialized Sparkwing solar panel product not only meets the demands of this groundbreaking constellation project, but is also tailor-made to ensure optimal performance in space The Sparkwing solar panels are designed for series production and ideally suited for constellations, and we will contribute accordingly to a project that enables connectivity in space,” said Rob Postma, Managing Director of Airbus in the Netherlands.
MDA’s AURORA TM satellite product line is designed to meet the changing technical and business needs of the satellite industry, offering unparalleled flexibility and functionality. This allows operators to significantly improve the performance of satellite constellations, while reducing costs and accelerating time to market.
Sparkwing is the first commercially available, ready-to-use solar panel for small satellites. Initially optimized for Low Earth Orbit missions requiring power between 100W and 2000W, it offers customers a variety of panel sizes and configurations. The arrays can be arranged in wings with one to three panels per wing and require minimal integration efforts. The product has evolved to meet the growing demands of higher power missions in LEO and beyond.
The Sparkwing product was developed by Airbus in the Netherlands with support from the Netherlands Space Office and ESA.
