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  • Ascent Solar (ASTI) Shares Rally On NASA Collaboration Announcement

    Ascent Solar (ASTI) Shares Rally On NASA Collaboration Announcement

    In intraday trading, Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTI) shares jumped 87.90% to $2.19, driven by the news of a major cooperative deal with NASA.

    Strategic Announcement

    With assistance from the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), Ascent Solar (ASTI) announced the start of work under a Collaborative Agreement Notice (CAN) with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The goal of this collaboration is to use copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) photovoltaic (PV) modules to increase the capacity of receiving beamed electricity.

    Technology Development for Space Power Infrastructure

    The goal of the CAN effort is to expedite the development of commercial technology, particularly in the field of beamed power, to assist upcoming space missions. NASA will supply technical know-how and thorough testing, while Ascent Solar will offer design and prototype development.

    The partnership aims to reduce the cost, weight, and operational risk of conventional spacecraft power systems by delivering commercial-ready alternatives for distributed power in orbit during a 12-month timeframe.

    NASA Psyche Mission and Early Validation

    The viability of narrow-beam technology was confirmed by NASA’s 2023 Psyche Mission by successfully demonstrating deep space laser communications across a distance of 19 million miles. Building on that, NASA MSFC conducted bench tests in 2024 that verified Ascent’s commercial off-the-shelf PV products could effectively receive beamed power—setting the stage for this formal collaboration.

    Reducing Downmass for Planetary Missions

    Space exploration missions, particularly those targeting the Moon and beyond, are constrained by the heavy power generation systems required for surface mobility and operations.

    Ascent’s lightweight, thin-film solar technology could significantly reduce this “downmass,” with potential cost savings reaching millions of dollars per lander mission. The CAN’s technical goals include enhancing power output and ensuring durability through lunar nights and in permanently shadowed regions believed to contain water ice.

    Future Prospects for Lunar Facilities

    This public-private partnership is expected to support NASA in meeting its broader goals under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), prospective planetary missions, and the Artemis lunar campaign. It also backs international efforts under the Artemis Accords to construct scalable, sustainable infrastructure on the Moon.

    Thus, Ascent Solar’s (ASTI) advancements in thin-film PV technology in providing effectiveness, endurance, and affordability in challenging environments may be extremely advantageous for future missions.

  • Why Did Ascent (ASTI) Stock Drop 18%?

    At the close of the last trading, the share price of developer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art, lightweight, and flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions Ascent Solar Technologies Inc (OTCPink: ASTI) plummeted by -17.92% to $0.0142. Ascent stock has performed -30.39% over the last week, compared with -42.28% over the past month. Considering that ASTI has been declining since the start of the month in the absence of news, recent events can be used to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the company.

    How has ASTI been?

    Ascent develops thin-film photovoltaic modules, a type of solar panel that is more rugged and versatile than conventional ones. According to R&D Magazine, ASTI’s Solar modules were among the top 100 innovations in 2010 and 2015. According to TIME Magazine, they were one of the top 50 inventions of 2011. ASTI’s flexible power technology can also be integrated into consumer products and off-grid energy applications, as well as into aerospace applications.

    Ascent recently announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.

    Financial Highlights:

    • Q1 2021 net revenue for ASTI was $165K, up sharply from $4K in the same quarter of 2020.
    • Because of financial constraints and COVID-19, ASTI maintained a largely dormant status for the first nine months of 2020.
    • Despite In spite of the loss from operations, ASTI reported a profit of $1.9 million for the quarter.
    • Net income for ASTI included a substantial gain of approximately $3.6M for extinguishment of the derivative liability associated with outstanding convertible notes resulted in a gain of approximately $3.6M for ASTI, less an interest expense of $562K.
    • ASTI’s cash and cash equivalents have also increased dramatically from a $168K balance in the first quarter of 2020 to $3.7M for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.
    • From March 31, 2020, to March 31, 2021, ASTI’s networking capital turned positive $1.1M from negative $8.4M.
    • As a result, ASTI’s total liabilities have been reduced by $11.2M, going from $27.6M in the first quarter of 2020 to $16.3M at the end of this quarter.

    Other major development:

    Ascent (ASTI) recently announced it has completed delivery of large a contract to supply thin-film modules to high-altitude airships. In addition to further reducing packaging and PV module mass, the HyperLight family of modules has a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio (Specific Power) of over 350 W/kg for a fully laminated product on an airship with integrated customer operations.

    The customer placed this shipment with ASTI as the third and largest order since March 2018. ASTI worked with that customer to minimize the PV module mass and to include in-laminate circuit protection in order to streamline both the integration process and the mass reduction of the module.