PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS TEST

The perovskite solar cell is a new solar cell developed in Japan in 2009, which is attracting attention all over the world as a next-generation solar cell. It has excellent features such as being able to be manufactured easily and at low cost by coating, being able to make the power generation layer thinner and lighter due to its high light absorption coefficient, and being able to achieve high efficiency. Moreover, in the future will be possible to develope a solar cell film with a thickness of about 20 micrometers in highly flexible materials such as polyethylene. Thus, innovative power generation such as on-film power generation of balloons, wearable power generation, and power generation on inflatable structures will be possible.

In this experiment, JAXA performed the first world operation test of a Perovskite solar cell in a balloon flight environment for power generation.

Althought was planned originaly to be performed under a polyethilene balloon, since Japan was experiencing troubles with the supply of helium gas for scientific ballooning, it was decided to carry out the experiment using small rubber balloons filled with hydrogen gas.

Balloon launched on: 8/1/2019 at 6:00 jst
Launch site: Multipurpose Aviation Research Field, Taiki-Cho, Hokkaido, Japan  
Balloon launched by: Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) / Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Weather Balloon 11 m
Flight identification number: BS19-02
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 8/1/2019
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): ~ 2 h 30 m
Landing site: In the Pacific Ocean, 40 km E of Taiki, Japan

• Details of the balloon experiment (in Japanese) JAXA website