Space radiation can damage satellites − my team discovered that a next-generation material could self-heal when exposed to cosmic rays

Perovskites could revolutionize future satellite launches by providing lightweight, flexible, and self-healing solar panels that can withstand the harsh space environment. Their ability to tolerate extreme radiation and self-heal makes them a game-changing material for powering satellites and space habitats. Deploying perovskite materials in space could generate up to 10,000,000 watts of power, offering a cost-effective and efficient solution for the increasing number of satellite launches and space explorations.

Metal-halide perovskites are a class of semiconductor materials with the chemical formula ABX3, where A is a cation, B is a divalent metal ion, and X is a halide5. They possess unique optoelectronic properties, such as high absorption coefficient, tunable bandgap, and long charge diffusion lengths, making them promising candidates for solar cells, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, lasers, and X-ray scintillators4.