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Rocket Lab is poise to snap up around $ 24 million in federal funding to dramatically boost the production of its chemical compound semiconductor , also cognise as solar cells , which provide mogul to artificial satellite and spacecraft .
The funding , which would go to Rocket Lab subsidiary SolAero Technologies , would help increase the society ’s chemical compound semiconductor product by 50 % within the next three eld . Rocket Lab - made solar cells have been used to power hundreds of satellites and spacecraft , including critical science like the James Webb Space Telescope and commercial-grade constellation like OneWeb ’s satellite net constellation .
The U.S. Commerce Department announce the non - binding preliminary funding understanding on Tuesday .
“ Solar cells are important for keeping our communication and space technology power and usable , and this declare oneself accolade would help our armed forces , NASA , and our commercial outer space manufacture have access to the strength semiconductors they need , ” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondosaid in a program line .
In addition to the federal financial support , the state of New Mexico — where SolAero is based — commit to provide financing and incentives that assess $ 25.5 million . The funding would assist the companionship build out its Albuquerque - establish facilities and create more than 100 unmediated manufacturing jobs , Rocket Lab said in a statement .
The fresh financial backing would come out of a $ 52.7 billion spate of money that was make with the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act by President Joe Biden in 2022 . It aims to revitalize domestic semiconductor fabrication and increase domestic supplying chain resilience .
Rocket Lab grow SolAero , which operates a ~115,000 - square - foot manufacture facility , in 2022 for $ 80 million . The company is one of just two in the United States that specialize in the yield of space - grade , radiation - resistant compound semiconductors , or blank - grade solar cells . SolAero is highly vertically integrated : In addition to the solar cells , the business firm also manufactures solar panels and force modules .
