Rocket Lab Launches Germanium-Free Solar Cell Apex

On 8 September 2026, Rocket Lab Corporation announced the production release of Inverted Metamorphic Apex, its latest space solar cell. The product achieves a beginning-of-life solar conversion efficiency of 31.5% and has 40% lower mass than traditional alternatives. The design operates without germanium substrates, which have served as the base for conventional multi-junction solar cells over the past three decades.

By removing germanium, the company aims to bypass supply chain bottlenecks and rising mineral costs in the space power sector. IMM Apex serves as a direct mechanical and electrical drop-in replacement for heritage germanium cells, allowing customers to use existing systems without major re-tooling investments. Targeted capital spending and process adjustments have prepared manufacturing lines to produce multi-100-kilowatt volumes.

Rocket Lab's underlying IMM technology previously powered NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter and has operated in orbit for more than a decade. The company stated that more than 1,100 satellites currently in orbit rely on its solar products, alongside missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope and NASA's Artemis lunar explorations. Overall, Rocket Lab components have supported more than 1,700 space missions.