Perovskite and organic solar cells possess a revolutionary potential for space applications. The thin-film solar cells can be processed onto thin polymer foils that enable an exceptional specific power, i.e., obtainable electric power per mass, being superior to their inorganic counterparts. However, research toward space applications was mainly restricted to terrestrial conditions so far. Here, we report the launch of perovskite and organic solar cells of different architectures on a suborbital rocket flight. This is an in situ demonstration of their functionality and power generation under space conditions. We measured solar cell current-voltage characteristics in variable illumination states due to different rocket orientations during flight. Under strong solar irradiance, the solar cells perform efficiently, and they even produce power with weak diffuse light reflected from Earth’s surface. These results highlight both the suitability for near-Earth applications as well as the potential for deep-space missions for these innovative technologies.

钙钛矿和有机太阳能电池在太空应用方面具有革命性的潜力。可以将薄膜太阳能电池加工到薄聚合物箔上，该聚合物箔能够提供优异的比功率，即每质量可获得的电功率，优于其无机物。但是，迄今为止，对空间应用的研究主要限于地面条件。在这里，我们报道了在亚轨道火箭飞行中发射了不同结构的钙钛矿和有机太阳能电池。这是原位的在太空条件下展示其功能和发电。由于飞行过程中火箭的方向不同，我们在可变照明状态下测量了太阳能电池的电流-电压特性。在强烈的太阳辐射下，太阳能电池可以高效运行，甚至通过从地球表面反射的微弱散射光来发电。这些结果既强调了近地应用的适用性，又强调了这些创新技术在深空任务中的潜力。