French space technology company Gama has raised €15 million in a Seed funding round. The investment came from Transition, Planet A, Draper Associates and Manta Ray. The company develops lightweight solar panels that can be folded during launch and opened once satellites reach space.
Power is becoming a major challenge for satellites as companies launch more advanced technologies into orbit. Satellite internet networks, direct-to-device communication systems and data centres in space all need more electricity than older satellites. To generate this power, satellites need larger solar panels. However, these panels must be folded into a small space to fit inside rockets during launch.
Gama has developed a deployable solar array called Wing, which allows large solar panels to fit into a compact space during launch. Once the satellite reaches orbit, the panels can open to generate electricity. The system is designed to be simple to manufacture in large quantities while keeping the cost of generating power low.
Wing is designed as a complete power system. It includes solar panels, a mechanism that turns the panels towards the Sun, power management technology and optional energy storage. This allows satellites to generate and manage electricity through one integrated system.
Gama also develops software that helps satellites remain stable while carrying large solar panels. The company provides control algorithms that customers can run on their own satellite computers to manage the panels safely in orbit.
The satellite industry currently faces limited supplies of specialised solar cells. Most satellite manufacturers use III-V solar cells, which are produced in small quantities by only a few suppliers. This can lead to waiting times of a year or more and higher costs.
Gama takes a different approach by using silicon solar cells commonly produced in large quantities for solar panels on buildings and homes. The company adapts these cells for use in space, aiming to reduce production costs and improve supply.
By developing both the solar panel hardware and the software needed to control it, Gama aims to support satellites that require much higher levels of power. Its Wing technology is designed to expand as demand for larger and more powerful satellites continues to grow.
“For years the hard part of space was getting there. Launch has become dramatically cheaper, unlocking vast new applications, and the constraint has moved to power,” said Andrew Nutter, CEO and cofounder of Gama.
