Ascent Solar Technologies Announces It Has Delivered Custom Plug & Fly Solar Array Blanket Assemblies For Multiple Space Missions In Under Three Weeks

Ascent Solar Technologies ("Ascent" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:ASTI), the leading U.S. innovator in the design and manufacturing of featherweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, continues to set precedence via its new standard for rapid delivery of space-mission enabling PV products. The Company has now delivered mission-optimized solar array blanket spaceflight hardware assemblies to multiple customers, each in under three weeks from order.

The Plug & Fly™ integrated and encapsulated solar array blanket assemblies delivered were custom-designed to conform to each customer's requirements using Ascent's commercial-off-the-shelf CIGS PV modules in conjunction with new spaceflight heritage derived CIGS PV module designs. Enhancements to the Company's designs previously flown in space include lighter weight and thinner space-rated laminates that allow more power to be reliably produced on orbit by being able to roll and stow higher power solar arrays within each spacecraft's dimensional constraints.

"Speed and affordability are key factors toward democratizing space power and ultimately access," said Paul Warley, CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies. "By providing spacecraft with power levels expected for satellites, Ascent has created entirely new opportunities for space mission managers and architects. Our products can drastically shorten the time to launch readiness for space missions and allow for more efficient rideshare launches. We accelerate hardware development cycles for our customers while also reducing their cost to reach orbit."

The Company's manufacturing production processes have been continuously refined for over a decade, enabling rapid delivery of NASA TRL9-derived solutions that are customized to space mission needs. The efficacy of Ascent's vertical integration was demonstrated with its most recent order, which included a CIGS PV module and array custom designed for the satellite bus' requirements, going from critical design review to acceptance tested spaceflight hardware packaged and ready to ship in 20 days.