Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Space
  • /
  • Sparkwing solar panels from Airbus to power lunar mission of Masten

Space

Sparkwing solar panels from Airbus to power lunar mission of Masten

Today, Airbus announced that its Sparkwing solar panels were selected by USA-based Masten Space Systems for their XL-1 lunar lander.

Above: XL1 Side1-Moon.
Copyright Masten Space Systems

In 2023, the XL-1 spacecraft will land at the lunar South Pole as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services programme. XL-1 will be equipped with six body-mounted Sparkwing solar panels, to be delivered next year, to charge the vehicle’s power system during transition to the Moon as well as during operations on the Moon’s surface.
 
The Sparkwing solar panels from Airbus are the world’s first commercially available off-the shelf option for small spacecraft. Plugging 3D models of standard Sparkwing components into the spacecraft design allowed for a speedy evaluation on where to place items and where it would need customization to meet the specific needs of Masten Mission 1. This led to a XL-1 specific design derivative of the Sparkwing catalogue product, with increased panel sizing and cut-outs on both long edges of the panel to accommodate the landing legs of the spacecraft. Each solar panel has 320 solar cells, with 3G30 space-grade solar cells provided by Azur Space. Building on over fifty years of experience in developing solar arrays, Airbus uses a 'mix and match' approach of combining standard components with specific adaptations where needed for the Sparkwing solar panels.
 
“The Sparkwing team have been a delight to work with,” said Alison Dufresne, lunar engineering manager at Masten Space Systems. “They provide high quality end to end services including design, analysis and testing. With their previous experiences with missions like ExoMars, Rosetta and Galileo, we were confident that they were the right choice for our mission. Masten Mission 1 will be the first of many Masten missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT

For Masten Mission 1, XL-1 will deliver payloads to the Moon’s South Pole to assess the composition of the lunar surface, detect volatiles such as water, methane and carbon dioxide and evaluate radiation in advance of human missions.
 
“Masten is working with us on this amazing mission with a pragmatic ‘get it done’ mindset. Our technology, which was originally developed for low-earth orbits, now finds its way to this lunar exploration mission”, said Marloes van Put, Sparkwing program manager at Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands.

 

Advertisement
DSEI 2025

 

 

Advertisement
PTC PTC
Pulsar Fusion set to conduct UK

Space

Pulsar Fusion set to conduct UK's first fusion space test

10 July 2025

Bletchley-based company Pulsar Fusion is set to become the first British company to test fusion propulsion hardware in space, with the technology having the potential to halve journey times to Mars and beyond.

ALL.SPACE unveils Hydra MAX

Defence Space

ALL.SPACE unveils Hydra MAX

10 July 2025

ALL.SPACE has revealed a major advancement in mobile satellite communications with the successful demonstration of Hydra MAX - the first network independent terminal of its kind to deliver ultra wideband communications to multiple satellites simultaneously.

Neo Space acquires UP42 from Airbus Defence and Space

Space

Neo Space acquires UP42 from Airbus Defence and Space

10 July 2025

Saudi Arabia's Neo Space Group (NSG) announced today that the company has completed its previously announced acquisition of UP42 GmbH, the Earth Observation (EO) platform previously owned by Airbus Defence and Space.

GKN Aerospace and ArianeGroup sign new Ariane 6 contract

Space

GKN Aerospace and ArianeGroup sign new Ariane 6 contract

9 July 2025

GKN Aerospace and ArianeGroup have signed a new Frame Contract for the operational phase of Ariane 6, securing Europe’s access to space for years to come and building on a partnership spanning over five decades.

Advertisement
ODU RT
Orbex pre-selected for European Launcher Challenge

Space

Orbex pre-selected for European Launcher Challenge

8 July 2025

Orbex, the UK-based orbital launch services company, has been pre-selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to take part in its prestigious European Launcher Challenge (ELC).

UK achieves silver at the International Youth Rocketry Championships

Space Events

UK achieves silver at the International Youth Rocketry Championships

7 July 2025

A team of four students from Teignmouth Community School in Devon came second in the International Youth Rocketry Championships, narrowly missing pole position in a nail-biting final.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025