Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are a new solar cell variant that is now receiving attention from the photovoltaics field. Much of this interest and research comes from the fact that these cells have the potential to achieve higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) than standard silicon solar cells per the Shockley-Queisser limit.  However, PSCs are currently, primarily, limited to terrestrial commercial use due to durability issues. 

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When looking at PSCs from an aerospace viewpoint, though, they become more appealing due to their unique resistance to radiation. Combined with their high predicted PCE, these aspects of PSCs could prove useful in extraterrestrial situations, namely in SmallSats due to their focus on weight and compactness. However, there are still concerns with thermal stability and ultraviolet (UV) radiation stability in PSCs, particularly in low Earth orbit (LEO) as the conditions are far more harsh than on earth. 

 

The focus of this research project is to assess the feasibility of these PSCs for a potential aerospace application. We will specifically do so by measuring PCE degradation over time in the cells after exposing them to simulated LEO conditions.