EQS-News: Ascent Solar Inks Deal With NOVI As Its Space Business Takes Off

By Meg Flippin Benzinga

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - May 29, 2025 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - Ascent Solar Technologies (NASDAQ: ASTI), the maker of featherweight, flexible and durable CIGS thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions and a growing supplier to the space market, inked a Master Services Agreement with NOVI Space Inc., a space company that makes and operates AI-powered satellites.

Under the terms of the deal, Ascent Solar is providing NOVI with rollable PV array blankets so that the company can deliver real-time Earth Observation (EO) insights directly from space. An EO satellite orbits the Earth armed with sensors and collects data about the planet. NOVI plans to use Ascent’s PV array blankets, which are lightweight and rollable, in its AI edge processing constellation which is scheduled to launch in the early part of 2026. 

The Need For Speed 

In addition to using Ascent Solar’s technology, NOVI will provide solar array operational performance data to Ascent from orbit. This data will prove invaluable in enabling Ascent to quickly make and validate product enhancements for future missions, reports Ascent. That’s important in the space market, which has short lead times, something the solar industry has struggled to meet. That’s not the case with Ascent. The company says its years of R&D and expertise in PVs enable it to create advanced PV technology at a fraction of the time it takes rivals. 

“Having a high technology readiness level isn't enough assurance for discerning space  operators, a challenge that Ascent can uniquely address with our thin-film photovoltaic  production solutions,” said Paul Warley, CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies. “The ability to  reliably deliver power on shorter installation timelines removes solar arrays as a barrier to  completion for mission schedules, allowing constellations of spacecraft to be completed sooner.” 

Ascent Solar’s CIGS solar cells are proving attractive to its customers in the space industry because they are thin-film photovoltaic (PV) cells that weigh little and are flexible and bendable. Since they can perform well in the dark, they are becoming a choice for space exploration, drones and even ground vehicles. 

What Ascent Solar says gives it an edge over its competitors is its ability to deliver solar arrays in six to eight weeks, much faster than its rivals, who Ascent says have lead times of nine to 12 months. Ascent’s CIGS PV products are based on years of R&D and are manufactured in its Thornton, Colorado, 5MW production facility. The facility will be able to ship orders in excess of 100kW this summer, and the data Ascent receives from NOVI will help it further advance its technology for the space market.  

Ascent’s hardware developer kit program, which is aimed at making it easier for space mission managers and spacecraft engineers to unlock both savings and increased performance with Plug & Fly(TM) solar array hardware assemblies, is an example of how the company is innovating. It 

already received two orders, which Ascent says are on schedule to be completed and delivered this summer, underscoring its speed in delivering products to its space customers. It was one of the reasons NOVI selected Ascent for its latest project.

“We are glad to have found a partner in Ascent that is able to provide plug and play arrays for our current bus, enabling NOVI to launch its first set of commercial satellites in Q1 of 2026. We look forward to incorporating Ascent’s new, rollable technology into our constellation,” said Scott  Steffan, CRO and Co-Founder of NOVI Space, Inc.

NOVI Isn’t The First, Or The Last

The deal with NOVI comes at a time when Ascent is making inroads in the space market. Its previous collaboration with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, with support from NASA Glenn Research Center, is one example. 

The two have teamed up to investigate using ASTI's CIGS PV to receive beamed power in the space environment. It’s part of NASA’s mission to develop the ability to do more in space at a fraction of the cost. Ascent promises to deliver that with its CIGS PV modules. 

The company also counts DARPA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as partners, and is in talks with multiple strategic partners in the space market. Ascent expects those talks to result in long-term agreements that will bring consistent annual revenue from a diverse set of customers in the space market, reports Ascent.  

From satellites to spacecraft, solar is becoming an important part of space exploration. Ascent believes it has an edge with its tech know-how and manufacturing prowess, and NOVI seems to agree. Stay tuned to see which space player is next to team up with Ascent Solar.  

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