but they need to test it in a space environment for a year or so before getting their hopes too high. Space is a harsh environment, what with intense solar energy, radiation, and whatnot. Back when I was flying DSCS-III satellites in the late 1980s, we were taught that conventional silicon solar cells degraded about 3% per year out at geosynch. Perhaps those new cells will hold up well to the space environment, perhaps not. This sounds like a good candidate for putting some test materials on the ISS when Shuttle flights resume or perhaps on a cheap test satellite. It could be very promising.