- Who
- International Space Station
- Where
- Not Applicable ()
- When
The largest solar array in space is the 3,244-m2 (34,918-sq-ft) of solar panels attached to the International Space Station. This figure includes 376 m2 (4,047 sq ft) for each of the station's eight "legacy arrays", which were fitted between November 2000 and March 2009, as well as 118 m2 (1,270 sq ft) for each of the two flexible IROSA panels that have been deployed as of 25 April 2022. This array generates roughly 120 kilowatts of electricity for station operations.
The IROSA (which stands for ISS Roll-Out Solar Array) panels are being added to the ISS to compensate for the declining efficiency of the station's legacy panels, as well as to boost the station's available power supply. They comprise a long flexible sheet of solar cells, which is unfurled by tensioning rods once mounted in position. Though smaller than the original rigid panels, more than 20 years of technological development mean that they are considerably more efficient than the legacy panels, even when they were new. In total the six IROSA panels will boost the station's power output by 120 kilowatts, giving a total installed capacity of 215 kilowatts.
