Sierra Area opens Energy Station photo voltaic tech heart in Colorado to spice up protection manufacturing
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 30, 2025
Sierra Area has launched a brand new facility in Broomfield, Colorado, to ramp up manufacturing of its Floor Mount Expertise (SMT) solar energy techniques, together with these for nationwide protection functions. The “Energy Station,” a 70,000-square-foot advanced, is designed to satisfy rising demand for high-performance, defense-hardened photo voltaic arrays and enhances Sierra Area’s newly fashioned protection division and Victory Works satellite tv for pc plant.
The $45 million Energy Station options cutting-edge tooling, thermal vacuum and air chambers, and a full dynamics lab for vibration and pyroshock testing. With capability for large-scale, speedy output, the corporate goals to provide one photo voltaic panel per day and as much as 100 satellite tv for pc wings per yr.
“Sierra Area is re-industrializing the space-defense expertise sector,” mentioned Erik Daehler, Vice President at Sierra Area. “We’ve the power to construct a photo voltaic panel a day, and a wing per week. We plan to ship 40 satellite tv for pc wings within the first section of manufacturing and are scaling as much as a 100 satellites wings per yr by our full fee of manufacturing. Moreover, due to our distinctive structure, our photo voltaic arrays are extra resilient. The Energy Station is a proof level in our dedication to assist nationwide safety.”
The SMT arrays produced on the Energy Station incorporate high-efficiency multi-junction MWT micro-cells connected to printed circuit boards utilizing normal pick-and-place robotics. This permits automated meeting, enhanced energy density, and shorter manufacturing occasions, serving to Sierra Area meet the calls for of rising satellite tv for pc constellations.
“Utilizing state-of-the artwork instruments and integration tools, our engineering and manufacturing groups have the experience and expertise to outline, analyze, construct, and take a look at full photo voltaic array techniques,” mentioned Brian Anthony, Vice President of Spacecraft Programs. “Our scalable energy techniques might be tailor-made to suit all kinds of mission choices with decreased cycle time and danger by incorporating current certified and flight-proven designs. With this new manufacturing facility coming on-line, Sierra Area is able to meet the wants of the quickly rising satellite tv for pc constellation market and ship house energy at lightning pace.”
At the moment using over 100 employees onsite, Sierra Area’s photo voltaic options span energy outputs from 10 watts to 10 kilowatts and embrace built-in elements reminiscent of slip rings, motor controllers, and deployable mechanisms. These advances mark a major milestone as the corporate celebrates 35 years within the house subsystem sector.
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