Sharp Energy Solutions Corporation (SESJ) positions “strengthening of the domestic residential business” and “expansion of the space solar cell business” as two core pillars of its Medium-Term Management Plan for fiscal 2025 to 2027. In particular, to enhance its presence in the global market, SESJ is actively exhibiting its space solar cell technologies at major international trade shows.

In 2025, SESJ kicked off its overseas exhibition activities with Satellite 2025 held in Washington, D.C. in March, followed by participation in the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2025) in Sydney, Australia in September, and Space Tech Expo Europe 2025 in Bremen, Germany in November, which are 　among the world’s leading space-related events.

In this article, we introduce the background, initiatives, and outcomes of these exhibitions through interviews with key members of SESJ: Oda from Business Strategy Planning Division; Yamano, Kurt, and Yahiro from Overseas Business Development Division, who represented SESJ at the exhibitions; and Juso from Compound Business Promotion Division.

■Why Space Solar Cells—And Why Now?

(Oda) Demand for internet connectivity continues to grow worldwide. Beyond smartphones and IoT devices, we are entering an era in which mobile platforms such as automobiles and aircraft are connected in real time. It is increasingly difficult to meet this communication demand using existing terrestrial base stations. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) communication satellites have emerged as a key solution.

Because LEO satellites cover smaller areas than geostationary satellites, a larger number of satellites is required to support worldwide coverage. And all these satellites rely on solar cells to power their operations in space. They are an indispensable technology for satellite operations. Furthermore, the cost per LEO satellite is approximately one-tenth or less than that of geostationary satellites, and their operational lifespan is relatively short—around five to seven years. That means continuous, large-scale satellite launches are expected in the future. Against this backdrop, the market for space solar cells is expanding rapidly, presenting a major business opportunity for SESJ.

Geopolitical factors are also accelerating market growth. In regions such as Asia-Oceania and Europe, independent communication systems are being developed from a national security perspective, and future increased demand for satellites is expected.

■SESJ’s Strengths and Growth Strategy

SESJ has supplied space solar cells to JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) for over 50 years, earning a strong reputation for reliability and technical excellence. In addition, SESJ offers a broad lineup ranging from silicon solar cells to high-performance compound solar cells, enabling supply for a range of space missions.

Under its Medium-Term Management Plan, SESJ aims to increase sales of space photovoltaic products by approximately fivefold by fiscal 2027 compared with fiscal 2024. To achieve this goal, Sharp is accelerating brand recognition and new customer acquisition in overseas markets through participation in major global space exhibitions.

■Challenges and Achievements at Overseas Exhibitions

76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2025), Sydney, Australia

(Yamano) IAC, one of the world’s largest conferences for space and satellite industries, attracted approximately 17,000 attendees (about 7,000 industry professionals and 10,000 members of the general public). At the JAXA booth, SESJ showcased three types of its latest thin-film compound solar cells and strengthened connections with new customers in Asia and the Southern Hemisphere.

The highlight was the lightweight, flexible IMM sheet. This state-of-the-art inverted metamorphic multi-junction solar cell combines light weight with high efficiency, offering greater design flexibility for satellites. Being able to demonstrate our reliability and technological capabilities as a JAXA-certified manufacturer was a significant achievement. In addition, during the public open day, many visitors stopped by the booth, helping raise awareness that Sharp manufactures space solar cells. In Australia, Sharp is widely recognized as a consumer electronics brand, so this exhibition also contributed to refreshing and broadening our brand image.

Space Tech Expo Europe 2025, Bremen, Germany

(Juso) Space Tech Expo Europe is one of Europe’s largest B2B exhibitions, with 956 exhibitors and approximately 12,300 visitors, held at Messe Bremen in Bremen, one of Germany’s leading aerospace hubs. SESJ exhibited jointly with Mobile Communications Business Unit(MCB) and showcased both solar cells and LEO satellite communication user terminals.

Approximately 80% of visitors were business professionals representing major satellite and space equipment manufacturers. SESJ’s strategy was to allow visitors to physically see and handle our products, directly communicating performance and reliability to lead discussions toward concrete business opportunities.

(Kurt) I am responsible for marketing research and sales. At the venue, I actively invited visitors to our booth and gathered information through discussions and Q&A. Exhibitions like this are extremely important from a market research perspective.

Currently, Europe feels a strong need to ensure its own security, and significant funding is flowing into space development, leading to an increase in startup participation. Perhaps due to geopolitical factors, I also sensed that business opportunities for Japanese manufacturers are expanding.

(Yahiro) In the space solar cell business, transactions typically take a long time from initial inquiry to order and delivery because of the high reliability required. That is why it’s extremely important to actively participate in exhibitions to raise awareness, allowing customers to see and touch the products firsthand, and engaging in direct discussions.

Strengthening trust also requires visiting customers in person. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we conducted a series of sales visits across Europe to build relationships. Going forward, as projects advance through bidding processes, we aim to work closely with both sales and engineering teams to move toward contract execution.

■Looking Ahead

(Oda) The widespread adoption of LEO communication satellites represents a major trend that will transform the future of communication infrastructure. Leveraging the reliability built through collaboration with JAXA and our extensive product lineup, SESJ will continue exhibiting at domestic and international trade shows to further enhance its competitiveness in the space market.

SESJ wants to lead the space solar market. To do this, we are improving how we work internally and moving faster to win new contracts from customers we haven’t worked with before.

We invite you to watch closely as Sharp goes beyond its image as a “consumer electronics manufacturer” and takes on new challenges in the space business.

Related News Releases:

• Space Tech Expo Europe 2025 Exhibition(Japanese)
• Space Tech Expo Europe 2025 Exhibition(English)
• IAC 2025 Exhibition(Japanese)
• IAC 2025 Exhibition(English)

(Public Relations C) 

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