York Space Systems acquires space solar firm Solestial
National defense and space mission solutions firm York Space Systems has agreed to purchase space solar technology provider Solestial Inc.
Financial details of the acquisition, the third for York in 2026 alone, have not been disclosed.
The deal fills a major need in York’s supply chain, representatives say, providing a space solar capability through U.S.-based manufacturing. The move also strengthens York’s control over a key energy subsystem, and reduces the company’s overall reliance on materials and manufacturing controlled by China, a necessity in the second ‘Space Race’ forming between the two world powers.
“York has consistently invested in U.S.-based manufacturing as a core part of how we deliver for our customers,” says York CEO Dirk Wallinger. “This acquisition builds on that approach, strengthening our supply chain by investing in a proven U.S. company, supporting the domestic industrial base, and reducing reliance on foreign sources for critical materials and manufacturing.”
Solestial will remain in operation, staying in the market as a wholly owned subsidiary of York, officials say. The company will still produce solar solutions for commercial and civil markets, as well as solutions for issues of national security.
Addressing the in-space solar demand
Headquarted in the solar hotbed of Tempe, Arizona, Solestial is working toward developing a fully domestic supply chain for its space solar manufacturing. 95% of that supply chain is already based in the U.S., with the company advancing down the path of full domestic production as demand grows for electricity — especially solar power — in space.
Solestial was founded to help solve the bottleneck, according to CEO Margo de Naray. The company’s ultrathin solar cell-based approach to space solar makes it a unique player in the sector, and the only one that currently provides self-healing silicon technology proven on orbit.
“Our customers need a solution that can scale, perform in space, and be manufactured reliably,” de Naray says. “Partnering with York allows us to accelerate all three; expanding production, deepening technical integration, and delivering a resilient, American-made capability to a broader set of missions.”
Demand for space solar is not only growing, but accelerating, as the sector faces a growing gap between mission requirements and the stock currently available. Legacy III-V solar assets, normally seen on in-orbit satellites, remain both expensive and constrained for manufacturing capacity, the company says. Normal terrestrial silicon alternatives are simply not designed for space, and will degrade quickly when exposed to radiation.
Solestial’s approach to the market, defined by radiation-hardened silicon solar cells, rides the line between these two options. York CTO Mike Lajczok says he believes the company’s novel approach is the key to scaling manufacturing while remaining both cost-efficient and sufficiently spacefaring.
“Solestial has proven a scalable, space-optimized solar technology that is designed to perform in ways legacy and terrestrial solutions cannot,” he says. “That will give us the ability to build more capable platforms with better performance, lower cost, and greater design flexibility.”
