Solar power has been around as a concept for nearly two centuries. However, it is only in the past decade that the technology around solar panels has become efficient enough to make them practical and affordable for homeowners around the world.
Since the start of the 2020s, in particular, there has been a spike of interest from homeowners in getting solar panel installers to help them take control of their energy needs and reduce their reliance on an increasingly fluctuating energy market.
It has taken a long journey to reach that point, and one particularly odd part of the route towards energy independence took solar panels into space, and the experience of these photovoltaic cells in the final frontier shaped how solar panels look and operate today.
Vanguard One
Whilst the first demonstration of photovoltaics was in 1839, the first practical solar cell was only demonstrated 115 years later in 1954, and it would be another four years after that before they would find a practical application, and it would not be used anywhere on Earth.
In the late 1950s, the Space Race began with the launch of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite ever launched into space, prompting the United States to quickly get to work to create its own satellite.
However, before they could, Sputnik 2 was launched with Laika, the first living creature to be shot into space, and whilst Explorer 1 was launched just four months later, there were extremely tight limits for what could be carried and what could be done with a satellite in space.
The Explorer 1 mission lasted just under three months before contact was lost, with a power supply of just 60 watts.
This was not going to be enough for the long, gruelling missions required to make any major scientific discoveries, let alone allow a person to survive in space for longer than poor Laika did.
However, the solution to this came from the fourth satellite sent into space.
Whilst only the size of a grapefruit, Vanguard 1 had a gigantic and outsized impact both in the heavens and on terra firma.
Vanguard one had two transmitters, one of which was powered by a mercury battery whilst the other was powered by just six solar cells strategically placed around the body.
These sensors and transmitters helped provide a lot of information about the density of the atmosphere, which would ultimately prove invaluable to the later successful missions to launch people into space and on the moon.
What was perhaps most critical is just how powerful and effective solar power was in space, with the transmitters keeping a satellite planned to stay in space for just three months powered for eight years, allowing for a lot of vital data to be produced during a time when the Space Race was really starting to heat up.
From that point on, nearly every satellite and spaceship launch used solar power in one form or another, as the lack of atmosphere in space made them extremely efficient. Conversely, this increased research into solar helped to produce more effective panels back on Earth as well.
Solar Panels Fitted to Roofs
Most solar panels are fitted to the roofs of houses or buildings. This helps them catch sunlight easily throughout the day.
Solar Panels Fitted to Ground
Some solar panels are fitted on the ground, especially where there is enough open space and sunlight, like in fields or gardens.
Solar Panels Fitted to Vehicles
Solar panels can also be fitted to cars, buses, or boats to help power them using sunlight.
Solar Panels Fitted to Schools and Businesses
Many schools and businesses fit solar panels to save money on electricity and use clean energy to help the planet.
